Multicard Rolls out Cashless Betalen Mobile Payment Solution Across Holland

Multicard, a business unit of Identive Group, Inc., announced the expanded roll‐out of its Cashless Betalen mobile payment solution across Holland. Cashless Betalen is the account management application behind the digital wallet offered by Rabobank, one of the leading banks in the Netherlands.

Multicard’s Cashless Betalen allows users to manage their accounts easily and use their mobile devices to perform actions such as checking account balances, transferring funds and depositing, monitoring and making payments. The Cashless Betalen interface can be securely accessed with any Internet connection via computer or mobile device. Currently, Multicard also offers apps for Apple and Android phones. In addition, Multicard is providing digital wallet customers with secure near field communications (NFC) tokens that enable mobile phones and other devices to be used to make cashless payments.

The NFC tokens take the form of stickers that are affixed to the back of a mobile phone or other device and incorporate strong encryption and the user’s digital wallet account number. To purchase items, the user simply taps the sticker to the spot indicated on the point of sale (POS) terminal at check out. The transaction is quick and secure. Consumers can purchase the NFC stickers or other payment tokens through Multicard’s Cashless Betalen online market.

“We are very pleased with the result of our initial roll‐out to Dutch hockey clubs in July, with more than 50 locations accepting Cashless Betalen and more than 150,000 people now using the digital wallet,” said Pieter Kooistra, managing director of Multicard Netherlands. “Interest in Cashless Betalen has spread to other sports and event organizations, the food and beverage industry and the wider market. With this nationwide roll‐out of Cashless Betalen, we are now offering the service to the entire population. Cashless Betalen is an easy, convenient way for anyone to pay securely.”

Multicard is working with Rabobank’s 145 branch offices in the Netherlands to share marketing information and to provide training on making mobile payments with Cashless Betalen. Through this effort, Rabobank offices are forming their own promotion teams and presenting Cashless Betalen to local merchants, sports clubs and other organizations. To address retail transactions in hospitals, universities, corporate cafeterias and other environments, Multicard has signed up 15 of the largest food service providers in the Netherlands, who collectively cover 80% of the market.

“We are very excited about Cashless Betalen and its implications for both consumers and merchants. If widely adopted in Holland, we believe that Cashless Betalen would represent the largest digital wallet community outside Japan in the near term,” continued Kooistra. “The ability to make secure cashless payments using your phone offers convenience for consumers and provides merchants with new and more economic ways to attract and connect with customers. After payment, loyalty applications are a natural extension for Cashless Betalen, and we expect that this will add further value.”