Payments

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/MicrosoftTeams-image-109.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="317">Wallet limit breaches and data duplications are crucial problems for <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/prepaid-cards-101-a-definitive-guide-for-growth-and-profitability/">prepaid card</a> issuers. They hold the risk of consumers overriding the loading and spending limit.That’s why <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/rbis-new-guidelines-for-ppis-how-will-it-impact-the-fintech-industry/">RBI</a> mandated that all prepaid programs deploy a centralized System of Records (SOR) in&nbsp;October’17. All prepaid program partners must mandatorily connect to the issuer’s SOR system.<h2 class="heading-node" id="7x11l5ome" style="text-align: justify">What is a System of Record?</h2>A System Of Record (SOR) or Source System of Record (SSoR) is a single source of truth or data source that stores important information about a system or process within the organization. It serves as a shared reference point that protects prepaid card issuers against data repetitions that arise when individual data is created, handled, and processed by multiple individuals or business units. As a result, SOR provides a single source of truth for operations.The System of Records monitors the consolidated prepaid balance of all wallets issued to the end customer by the same issuer, independent of the prepaid program partner. It is a central ledger that tracks every registered customer’s overall balance in real-time based on their <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/know-your-customer-kyc-the-need-for-authentication/">KYC</a> status. In addition to holding centralized data on the consolidated balance of a customer’s prepaid wallet, it also carries issuer-specific information. This is in cases where the balance of multiple partner wallets is integrated under a single <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/how-to-implement-the-best-prepaid-payment-instrument-ppi-for-your-business/">PPI</a> issuer.<h2 class="heading-node" id="20csbnfpl" style="text-align: justify">How SOR works for prepaid cards?</h2>Say an individual holds two prepaid wallets with the same issuer. His personal information is captured in the issuer database for profile creation and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/crack-the-kyc-jigsaw-ease-onboarding-compliance/">KYC verification</a>. &nbsp;Issuers who partner with Token Service Providers for SOR will have all data automatically transferred to a centralized database. &nbsp;Then KYC-based wallet limit, dedupe check, and customer profile creation will need to be managed.<h2 class="heading-node" id="7g22xdrk5" style="text-align: justify">Why SOR is critical?</h2>SOR is critical for prepaid issuers who deal with huge volumes of data from multiple source systems. This system of truth helps secure the integrity and validity of any data set as it remains the only source of truth. If there is any other agreed system of record, the data element must be either linked to or extracted from it. In other situations, the provenance and estimated data quality should be documented.&nbsp;Here are some key benefits SOR offers to users.<ul class="list-node" id="niw8n6t1l"><li>Provides the most complete, accurate, and timely data</li><li>Best structural conformance to the data model</li><li>Nearest to the point of operational entry</li><li>Can be used to feed other systems</li></ul><h2 class="heading-node" id="vwxcavknq" style="text-align: justify">How can M2P facilitate SOR implementation?</h2>We help banks and prepaid card issuers build a SOR, which will serve as a final source of truth for all customer data. Our robust <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/api-the-power-that-drives-new-age-banking-ecosystems/">API</a>-led infrastructure offers a centralized database to track and monitor the data in real-time.&nbsp; The built-in checks and balances comprise AML, negative listing, and real-time watch listing capabilities to ensure compliance and zero limit breaches across programs.Looking to implement SOR for prepaid cards?We would like to help. Write to us at business@m2pfintech.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox.Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Why System Of Records (SOR) is Critical for Prepaid Card Issuers?

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Blog-Banner_Wearable-in-Banking-payment.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="383">The global wearable market size is projected to reach USD 931.31 Billion by the end of 2030, and wearables are here to stay.Not just in healthcare, retail, and telecom, but also in banking and payments. Changing customer priorities and fintech advancements accelerated the market for wearables in the pandemic era. With millennials, gen X, and gen Z consumers wanting secure, convenient, instantaneous transactions, contactless wearables are the way to go.Projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5%, the future of wearables is likely to evolve further as consumers and financial institutions transition into the cashless, digital universe. Some wearable payment devices have the potential to become a “one-stop-shop” for several services.Disney’s Magic Band for instance is a wearable that Disney Land provides its visitors. Designed in the form of a funky wristband, the magic band functions as an access key, a payment device, and a personalized tracker. And it is also compatible with diverse smartphones and technologies.<h2 class="heading-node" id="7ff3" style="text-align: justify">What are wearable payment devices?</h2>Wearable payment devices are apparel, gadgets, and accessories we use to make contactless payments. The most common types are smartwatches, belts, jackets, fitness trackers, and even rings. They use services like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay to connect the device with the consumer’s bank account.<h2 class="heading-node" id="0774" style="text-align: justify">Top wearable payment devices in the market</h2><h4 class="heading-node" id="peflro9so" style="text-align: justify">Apple Watch</h4>The Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches on the market, and it features NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. This technology allows the watch to communicate with other NFC-enabled devices, such as smartphones, to exchange data, make mobile payments, and do other contactless transactions.<h4 class="heading-node" id="zefu7xngv" style="text-align: justify">Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic</h4>Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offers contactless payment services through Samsung Wallet. This smartwatch enables users to make contactless payments at stores that accept NFC-enabled transactions.<h4 class="heading-node" id="7zin33oqj" style="text-align: justify">7 Ring</h4><a class="link" href="https://seven.ooo/">7 Ring</a> is India's most advanced form of making contactless payments, utilizing Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology. Co-certified by EMV, 7 Ring has the same security standards as the payment instruments used worldwide by leading banking networks.7 Ring uses <a class="link" href="https://www.livquik.com/">LivQuik</a>&nbsp;(powered by M2P)&nbsp;as their wallet provider, which works seamlessly with a tap at the PoS terminal, enabling convenient payments without the need for a phone or Bluetooth connection.<h4 class="heading-node" id="vknjub99i" style="text-align: justify">Ringly</h4>Ringly offers rings and bracelets that connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Partnering with MasterCard, they allow you to make contactless payments apart from tracking your activities. They allow you to make contactless payments with just a wave of your hand.Now we’ve seen only a sample of wearable devices. Belts, jackets, and even shoes are used as wearable payment devices today.<h2 class="heading-node" id="f558" style="text-align: justify">How do wearable payment devices work?</h2>To use a wearable payment device, say a smartwatch, the user needs to link the device to a credit card or bank account. Once the device is linked, the user can make payments by simply tapping the device against a payment terminal. The payment is then processed through the credit card or bank account that is linked to the device.<h2 class="heading-node" id="cb0d" style="text-align: justify">Wearable payment technologies</h2>Wearable payment systems are quite commonly used in e-banking and payment platforms. They operate on technologies such as HCE, Barcode, Contactless Point of Sale, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Near-field Communication (NFC) to enable payments and cash transfers.<h4 class="heading-node" id="8264" style="text-align: justify">Host Card Emulation (HCE)</h4>Host Card Emulation (HCE) enables payments that are activated by NFC technology. ​​It allows a device to emulate the functionality of a smart card to provide contactless payment capabilities using the ISO/IEC 7816–4 APDU command set. It communicates with a reader and stores data in the same way that a smart card would. A key benefit of using HCE is that it does not require a physical smart card or a built-in NFC reader. And it can be used for loyalty programs and access control too.<h4 class="heading-node" id="387a" style="text-align: justify">Barcodes</h4>Some wearables are encoded with scan-and-go application barcode scanners for payments. It allows the customer to check out quickly without conventional processes. Barcode technology offers several advantages in wearable devices. They are secure, can be read quickly and easily, and can store a large amount of data. Newer barcode standards, such as QR codes can be deeply encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.<h4 class="heading-node" id="aae0" style="text-align: justify">Contactless Point of Sale (CPOS)</h4>The contactless point of sale (CPOS) is a new technology that uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to communicate with the POS terminal and make payments. The CPOS system is fast, convenient, and secure. You just hold your card near the POS terminal, and the payment will be processed automatically. It uses the latest encryption technology to protect personal information.<h4 class="heading-node" id="e897" style="text-align: justify">Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)</h4>RFID wearables such as rings, wristbands, and dongles comprise an embedded chip with an RFID tag. The tag is a unique identifier that an RFID reader can read. The reader can track the tag’s location or access wearer information. RFID-enabled wearables offer many advantages over traditional ID payment devices. They are more difficult to lose or misplace and can be read from a distance, making them ideal for tracking assets or people.<h4 class="heading-node" id="4a4c" style="text-align: justify">Near-field Communication (NFC)</h4>NFC ​​ is a short-range wireless technology that enables two devices to communicate when they are near each other, typically no more than a few centimeters. It is a convenient way to share small amounts of data between devices and works great in wearable payment devices, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and clothing.<h2 class="heading-node" id="4re67ozcs" style="text-align: justify">Wearables, IoT, and Fintech</h2>As with many things to do with digital transformation, the pandemic pushed businesses to explore and invest in Point-of-Sale (POS) technology, making wearables more than just useful tools. Readily available and user-friendly in usage and navigation, payment apps such as Google Pay and Apple Wallets, have made it easy for all demographics to transition smoothly into wearable technology.In the current mobile climate, using the Internet of Things (IoT) in banking is the way to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Wearable payment devices and IoT helps the financial sector to gain deep customer insight and improve user experience. Banks implementing IoT have seen benefits in cost savings, higher efficiency in business processes, and better customer experience. They have also been able to build new revenue models.There is no doubt that fintech needs wearables, as it opens up new opportunities to transform their businesses and remain strong contenders in the market. We see the increasing use of wearables and in a way, they may even replace mobile phones in the future.<h2 class="heading-node" id="51ef" style="text-align: justify">How wearables benefit banks and fintechs</h2><h4 class="heading-node" id="2062" style="text-align: justify">Access to data</h4>Wearables provide banks access to voluminous data as they are worn by customers most of the time. Customer intelligence gained can be used to enhance experiences and personalize products and services. Wearables are critical to data extraction and analytics.<h4 class="heading-node" id="f3b5" style="text-align: justify">Personalization of customer service</h4>Financial institutions and fintechs today recognize the need to be customer centric. And data extracted from wearables have proven to personalize and optimize customer interactions. Wearables can help predict customer behavior through real-time data and target them with recommendations and personalized offers.<h4 class="heading-node" id="135f" style="text-align: justify">Omnichannel user experience</h4>A combination of IoT and wearables can make all the difference in omnichannel customer experience. Fintech and banks can gain a competitive edge with wearables, for example, using smartwatches to make ATM withdrawals and biometric-enabled transactions.<h4 class="heading-node" id="072a" style="text-align: justify">Risk assessment</h4>Banks and fintechs need to mitigate risk by assessing potential factors. Analyzing customer data extracted from wearables can help enhance risk management decisions on lending, or insurance, among many others.<h2 class="heading-node" id="661d" style="text-align: justify">Banking Wearables in India</h2>India is fast catching up in the wearables market, especially after RBI increased the limit for contactless transactions to Rs. 5000. Both SBI and Axis Bank have launched their wearables Titan Pay and Wear n’ Pay, respectively.<h4 class="heading-node" id="92aa" style="text-align: justify">Titan Pay</h4>Titan Pay is a wearable collaboration between Titan and SBI that offers watches to enable contactless payments. It comprises a mobile app that allows users to send and receive money instantly. Using the watch and the app, users can transact in multiple currencies, track spending, and even set up a budget.<h4 class="heading-node" id="8fae" style="text-align: justify">Wear n’ Pay</h4>Wear n’ Pay devices include accessories like key chains and watch loops from AXIS Bank. It allows you to pay for purchases by just swiping your wrist. The system uses a special wristband that you can wear while you shop. You simply swipe your wristband across the payment terminal to pay for your purchase.<h4 class="heading-node" id="94vghp82w" style="text-align: justify">Indus PayWear</h4>By enabling consumers to easily tokenize their IndusInd Bank credit or debit card onto a chip-enabled wearable device, Indus PayWear is poised to completely change the payment experience. This will do away with the requirement for a physical card or even a payment app for purchases and enable quick and safe tap-and-pay transactions at any contactless Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminal worldwide.<h2 class="heading-node" id="9h5ne3vh6" style="text-align: justify">Real-time adoption of Wearables</h2>During the 2024 IPL, the <a class="link" href="https://www.npci.org.in/PDF/npci/press-releases/2024/NPCI-Press-Release-RuPay-Launches-Exclusive-On-The-Go-Contactless-Payment-Collectible-for-2024-TATA-IPL-Playoffs-and-Final.pdf">NPCI launched an NFC-enabled wristband</a> for payments and access to the playoffs and finals. As a part of the “RuPay On-the-Go” series, the wristband provides seamless access management during events and functions as a versatile contactless payment device post-event.This first-of-its-kind initiative links access management for live events and payments into one exclusive collectible for select attendees of the playoffs and finals.<h2 class="heading-node" id="6f11" style="text-align: justify">Conclusion</h2>The integration of wearable &amp; contactless payments is an emerging trend in the modern payment system. While <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-rise-of-digital-payments/" target="">digital payment</a> trends keep on changing, the need to provide the best consumer experience across the platform is always constant for Financial Institutions and Payment Service providers.At M2P, we provide the best customizable payment experiences for businesses. Using our end-to-end API stack, we ensure that modern innovations and technology are seamlessly integrated into your ecosystem. Our APIs enable channel management and limit management across PoS, contactless payments, ecommerce, and withdrawals on your payments platform.Want to know more about integrating contactless payments and other customizable features on your payments platform?Write to us at&nbsp;<a class="link au lo" href="mailto:business@m2pfintech.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow">business@m2pfintech.com</a>.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox.Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Rise of Wearables in Payments and Banking

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Remittance-with-UPI-_Blog-Banner-.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="284">India has the world’s largest diaspora. More than 30 million Indians reside outside the country. The Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) from the US, UK, and the Middle East make India the world’s largest recipient of remittances. Despite the pandemic and its economic impact, India received $87 billion* remittance in 2021. (Source: World Bank 2021 report)The MENA region is home to a significant expatriate population. And more than half of its outbound remittances are sent to India. India-UAE is the world’s second-largest remittance corridor clocking more than $20 billion in transaction value. It makes up 33% of India’s total inward remittance volume. According to the Central Bank of the UAE’s (CBUAE) report, the outward remittances of the UAE increased by 9.2% in the third quarter of 2021. India retained its position as the top recipient by accounting for 26% of the outward remittance.<h2 class="heading-node" id="3sb73vqzx">India and the Middle&nbsp;East</h2>Now, remittances from the Middle East are not a recent phenomenon in India. They go way back to the 1900s when Indians moved to the Persian Gulf, searching for better opportunities. Since then, India’s trade relationship with the UAE and the rest of the countries in the Middle East has flourished. Today, over 7.6 million Indians live in the Middle East.During 2021–2022, India chalked up a total trade of $154 billion with countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), accounting for 18.3% of its collective imports and exports value. The bilateral trade between India and the UAE is valued at $72.9 billion. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are India’s third, fourth, and fifth-biggest trading partners, and the trade sector is expected to expand over the upcoming years.The recent Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is a significant milestone for bilateral trade relations between India and the UAE. Effective from 1 May 2022, CEPA offers an open and equitable ecosystem for businesses and accentuates new frontiers in cross-border payments and remittances.<h2 class="heading-node" id="fwofl48gd">Tale of Money Transfer to&nbsp;India</h2>In the early eighties and nineties, expats physically visited money transfer operators and agents to send money to their families back home, while businesses and Governmental agencies depended on conventional modes of <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/cross-border-payments-a-swift-money-flow-across-borders/">cross-border payments</a>. However, these traditional methods were fraught with challenges such as security, time delay, high costs, and currency conversion fees.For example, Demand Draft (D/D) was one of the earliest forms of remittance. D/D is traceable at any given time and hence, was considered the safest and niftiest money transfer method. However, it was an exceptionally tedious and time-consuming process. But slowly, things changed. Remittances started to evolve, from drafts to personal cheques and wire transfers to the online and mobile transfers of today.<h2 class="heading-node" id="ko5i3w91c">Key Challenges in Remittances</h2>Differences in the time zones, currency conversion, multiple compliance checks, unforeseen delays, charges, and the uncertainty of receipt of payment were challenges that payers and payees faced in international remittance. As customer preferences and technologies evolved, cost, compliance, speed, and interoperability emerged as factors that affected convenience, security, and seamlessness.CostThe charges associated with the remittances vary across markets and services providers. Key factors include the transaction amount, transfer destination, payment channel, and exchange rates. In addition, the cost of a service provider is subject to the complexity involved in managing settlements in multiple currencies and the time and effort required to maintain compliance with the <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/know-your-customer-kyc-the-need-for-authentication/">KYC</a>/AMC guidelines and partnerships. This calls for innovative technologies and digitization to minimize the cost, in turn reducing the overall transaction cost for the customers.Compliance and SpeedThe most common reasons for the delay in remittances are the fragmented remittance information coupled with the extensive checks for anti-money laundering and fraud activities. Financial institutions ought to carry out an overarching list of compliance checks to mitigate risks. A central hub to share cross-national information can aid in speeding the payment process.Interoperability<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/why-payments-interoperability-is-a-must-for-todays-generation/">Interoperability</a> plays a crucial role in improving the speed and time of remittances. Cross-border payments are time-intensive — lesser the compatibility between the systems, the higher the transaction risks. A standardized global messaging format reduces the time, effort, and error that arises with the translation.<h2 class="heading-node" id="xfzjj9vvg">UPI — Resolving the Challenges in Inward Remittance</h2>The introduction of <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/upi-the-driver-of-economic-growth-and-inclusion/">UPI</a> has changed the course of remittances. This ground-breaking financial innovation has the potential to help the payer and payee overcome remittance challenges and has made international transfers quick, simple, cost-efficient, and transparent. Money transfer institutions are tapping the potential of fintechs to develop a UPI-based cross-border payment ecosystem that leverages global networks to make overseas transfers more reliable and secure.As one of the largest markets for inward remittances, India is adopting UPI as a fundamental mode of remittance through its strategic collaboration with several nations. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) set up a payments wing (NIPL) to internationalize UPI and Rupay, and enable real-time bank account payouts.NIPL has inked agreements with several countries in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific, including United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore, and Japan, to deploy the UPI payment rails in their jurisdictions. In the last two years, companies like LuLu Financial and Al Ansari Exchange have benefitted from real-time UPI–based remittances.<h2 class="heading-node" id="gfll6t4lh">Benefits of Integrating UPI and Remittance</h2>Mobile-first InteroperabilityUPI offers a mobile-first, interoperable open payment infrastructure. This allows Payment Service Providers (PSPs) operating on diverse payment systems to undertake, clear, and settle payment transactions through a common interface with common identifier/security standards. This minimizes the challenges of integration and interoperability.Anywhere Anytime AvailabilityUsually, cross-border payments are restricted to banking hours/days. But UPI is a 24x7, 365 days service. With UPI, remittances can be done at any time via more than one digital channel from anywhere without worrying about the banking hours, bank/public holidays, or even bank strike.Real-time TransactionsUPI is a real-time payment system that instantly completes and settles the transactions. It eliminates the need for registering the payee and the waiting time to activate the payee as a beneficiary. The interface allows the users to transfer money by simply keying in the virtual address or UPI ID to make the requisite payment. This will drastically reduce the transaction time and associated risks.Curtails ErrorA lot of things can go wrong when customers transfer money by entering the details of the beneficiary’s bank account. For example, they can provide an incorrect account number or a wrong IFSC code leading to a transaction failure. UPI remittance can curtail such errors as the customer can disregard the bank account details and remember only the Virtual Payment Address (VPA) or the UPI ID to complete a transaction successfully.Prevents FraudUPI uses proxy identifiers like a mobile number and a user-specific Unique Identifier (UPI ID or VPA) to make payments. This is the main advantage of UPI as it addresses security and privacy concerns. Additionally, the UPI ecosystem has single-click two factor authentication to protect users from financial fraud during digital transactions.Reduces Waiting Time and FrictionAs established earlier, the remittance process entails filling up the beneficiary’s bank account details and waiting several hours to transfer the funds to their friends/family. In the meantime, the senders and receivers are both left in the dark over the state of a transfer. Implementing UPI in remittance systems helps address such frictions as it enables instant transactions and lets the customers know the status of the money transfer.Increases Cost-EfficiencyBanks charge a competitive fee for each international transaction. Since the interface has the potential to simplify the correspondence between global banks, it would reduce the time and effort involved in each transaction. This allows banks to lower the transaction fee.UPI’s real-time, round-the-clock, and simple interface radically enhances the cross-border remittance experience as customers benefit from superior efficiency, speed, accessibility, and transparency.<h2 class="heading-node" id="gzqqd1ipr">M2P — UAE’s first UPI-enabled Remittance Service Provider</h2>As UAE’s first UPI-enabled remittance service provider, we enable banks and foreign exchange operators to facilitate end-to-end settlements inclusive of conversion facility. Our deep domain expertise, innovation, and technology know-how render a hassle-free/frictionless remittance experience for both the payer and payee.Most importantly, our intermediary banks are certified by NPCI, and we are compliant with the remittance directives issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Our full-fledged, mobile-first, customizable API stack simplifies UPI transactions and enables real-time international transfer.To know more about using UPIs for cross-border remittances, write to us at business@m2pfintech.com.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Remittance with UPI - A Giant Leap for Cross-Border Payments

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Blog-Banner_02_WordPress-1.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="661">Imagine you own a digital wallet. Its primary function is to let you spend viz., shop with partner merchants, make payments, and transfer money to other wallets and bank accounts. Then the same wallet offers a card (any authorized card network Visa, MasterCard, RuPay) to facilitate card-based in-store and online payments. Further, the wallet also comes with a UPI virtual ID to allow payments via QR codes and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/upi-the-driver-of-economic-growth-and-inclusion/">UPI</a>.This is payments interoperability making life easy for you.<h2 class="heading-node" id="abd3">What is Payments Interoperability?</h2>Now, there are several definitions for interoperability. But at its core, it is the basic ability of multiple digital systems, applications, and databases to connect and communicate with each other.Payment platforms leverage financial technology to connect and share data among ecosystem partners, viz., banks, payment gateways, payment processors, merchants, and consumers. This integration helps carry out transactions between payment service providers, third-party processors, and other networks without hassles. The interoperability occurs at the origination point, at the network level, or through an intermediary, both in national and international payment systems.Here are a few common attributes of interoperability.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Interoperability_BlogBanner_02_wordpress.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="7ruk1ov0f" width="100%" height="661">Payment system interoperability can be at domestic (national) and international levels.<h2 class="heading-node" id="558a">National Payments Interoperability</h2>National payment interoperability is limited to payment systems within a single country. National interoperability usually involves the same type of accounts. It happens between:<ul class="list-node" id="sk8vndtl8"><li>Deposit accounts issued by various banks</li><li>e-money transaction accounts offered by mobile network operators</li></ul>National interoperability is ensured through bilateral agreements between Payment Service Providers (PSP) and Payment Systems Infrastructures (PSIs). Or through a centralized interoperability solution, with standardized regulatory measures stipulated by the central bank.<h2 class="heading-node" id="2998">RBI’s Mandate for Domestic PPI Interoperability</h2>Governments and Central Banks are giving interoperability a significant push to accelerate cashless ecosystems. <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/rbis-new-guidelines-for-ppis-how-will-it-impact-the-fintech-industry/">RBI</a> aims to make interoperability mandatory for all full-<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/know-your-customer-kyc-the-need-for-authentication/">KYC</a> <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/how-to-implement-the-best-prepaid-payment-instrument-ppi-for-your-business/">Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs</a>) and acceptance infrastructure by 31 June 2022. The move is to drive inclusion in <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/ready-to-sneak-peek-into-global-cashless-societies/">cashless payments</a>, and optimally utilize payment instruments like cards and wallets, given the constraint of scarce acceptance infrastructures like point-of-sale (POS) devices, ATMs, QR codes, and bill-payment touch points. Any user who signs up for a wallet, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/prepaid-cards-101-a-definitive-guide-for-growth-and-profitability/">prepaid card</a>, or UPI on PPI rails should be able to make digital payments via any network.LivQuik is the first PPI issuer in India to achieve full interoperability as mandated by the RBI. This feat enables customers to enjoy optimized card and UPI payments across wallets. Similarly, initiatives like <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/central-bank-digital-currency-cbdc-101-a-primer/">Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)</a> will further drive interoperability, inclusion, and innovation.<h2 class="heading-node" id="d3b9">Need for Interoperable Cross-Border Payments</h2>Interoperability in <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/cross-border-payments-a-swift-money-flow-across-borders/">cross-border payments</a> is critical to making financial services accessible, affordable, and reliable. It involves coordination between multiple stakeholders, including central banks and regulators. It encompasses technical, regulatory, and usage interoperability to enable quick, convenient, secure, and seamless transactions regardless of the Financial Services Provider (FSP) network.According to a recent Visa survey, only 50% of merchants have a cross-border trade-compatible payment processing infrastructure. Without globally interoperable payment systems, small and medium-sized merchants cannot tap into international trade and markets. Interoperability levels the playing field and eliminates the inefficiencies of a closed-loop payment systems, i.e., payments between users of only one payment provider.An end-to-end interoperable platform delivers access to cross-border payment services through an integrated gateway. It enhances the user experience through its ease-of-use customer onboarding and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/crack-the-kyc-jigsaw-ease-onboarding-compliance/">digital KYC.</a>A centralized interoperability platform calls for stringent global regulatory compliance and data security standards for utmost security. It enables faster reconciliations with real-time reporting and data-driven insights into payment patterns and customer behavior. Moreover, an automated platform saves time, reduces human error, and cuts costs. It enables infrastructure and data sharing which helps tech-driven payment ecosystems reach economies of scale.While international interoperability comes with a few challenges, it can be overcome with the support of the regulators, the global schemes, and a compatible business model across international borders and technology.<h2 class="heading-node" id="9178">Global Partnerships with Payment Networks</h2>A clear example of an interoperable <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/cross-border-payments-a-swift-money-flow-across-borders/">cross-border payments</a> partnership is that between India’s <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/upi-the-driver-of-economic-growth-and-inclusion/">UPI</a> and Singapore’s PayNow. The need for faster cross-border payments and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/fintech-a-catalyst-for-financial-inclusion/">financial inclusion</a> has been a catalyst in establishing the link between India and Singapore. The interoperable link between UPI and PayNow, enables instantaneous, cost-effective, and transparent payments across borders.Now for those new to UPI, it is India’s real-time payment system with a Virtual Payment Address (VPA). It is completely mobile-based and supports person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) payments and funds transfers.And PayNow is Singapore’s real-time payment system available to all participating banks and non-bank financial institutions. It is also a mobile-based system and enables peer-to-peer funds transfer using mobile numbers, VPA, or Singapore NRIC/ FIN. The UPI-PayNow partnership is only the beginning and is established to foster faster and smoother transactions between India and Singapore.India also holds strategic partnerships with the following payments networks and banks to enable seamless, interoperable transactions on our payments rails.<ul class="list-node" id="tpyzch3q0"><li>Discover Financial Services (DFS), US</li><li>Japan Credit Bureau (JCB), Japan</li><li>Union Pay International (UPI), China</li><li>Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), Bhutan</li><li>Mashreq Bank, UAE</li><li>Lycra Network, France (in the pipeline)</li></ul><h2 class="heading-node" id="1f35">Benefits of Payments Interoperability</h2>Interoperability benefits the entire payment ecosystem, including customers, merchants, end-users, and businesses. In addition to enhancing user experience and helping mitigate security risks, it delivers the advantages below.<ul class="list-node" id="ol9tnl3en"><li>Payment flexibility:&nbsp;The ability to accept all forms of payments is a game-changer. Universal payment acceptance helps customer retention and increases customer reach. Though there are several digital payment systems and digital offerings from payment system providers, customers are not required to sign into multiple systems and complete their <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/know-your-customer-kyc-the-need-for-authentication/">KYC</a> many times. Interoperability brings issuers and acquirers together to undertake, clear, and settle payment transactions across payment systems, ensuring universal payments and consumer retention.</li><li>Faster payment system: Electronic transactions are the key to reconciling and collecting payments, unlike cash-based systems. Advanced technology and fast internet connectivity make it easier to increase the speed of transactions.</li><li>Secure payment and POS integration: Integration pushes the transaction directly to the payment terminal and eliminates manual entries, thereby enhancing security.</li><li>Low operational costs:&nbsp;Integrated payment platforms reduce operating costs and seamlessly communicate with multiple devices across different financial service providers. It helps save money on adding new payment terminals.</li></ul><h2 class="heading-node" id="0b67">Addressing Challenges — Getting it Right</h2>Getting interoperability right through open <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/api-the-power-that-drives-new-age-banking-ecosystems/">API</a>-based platforms is a start toward harnessing and expanding the payments ecosystem. Interoperability can be tricky when dealing with legacy systems. Technical challenges usually comprise systems that use different technical standards, communication protocols, and related software and hardware infrastructure. Another common challenge relates to data and semantics. Payment systems may use different languages and need to be translated. Inadequate translation leads to corrupted or lost data.It is crucial to address the regulatory, technical, and business challenges of interoperability to make cross-border payments affordable, faster, transparent, and inclusive. Strategic partnerships with fintech firms, banks, exchange houses, and Money Transfer Operators (MTOs) with a focus on regulatory compliance and technology innovation will pave the way to overcome challenges and enable frictionless international transactions.<h2 class="heading-node" id="99d4">Need of the Hour for Today’s Generation</h2>Payments interoperability is the linchpin of today’s digitized economy. When done right, it can lead to greater convenience, speed, reliability, security, and seamlessness. It is the need of the hour today, as it enables people from all walks of life to benefit from the convenience that the cashless economy offers. It can increase service offerings, reduce costs, empower the end-user and help improve payment systems. Thus, interoperability is a strong facilitator for financial inclusion.By leveraging <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/api-the-power-that-drives-new-age-banking-ecosystems/">API</a>-based <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/cross-border-payments-a-swift-money-flow-across-borders/">cross-border payment platforms</a> with simple integrations across domestic switches, bank accounts, mobile wallets/e-wallets, MTO transfers, and forex card solutions, we can enable financial inclusion and seamless payments across APAC and MENA regions. With India to start with and then extended globally.Along these lines, M2P is proud to partner with LivQuik for <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/upi-the-driver-of-economic-growth-and-inclusion/">UPI</a> services on exiting <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/how-to-implement-the-best-prepaid-payment-instrument-ppi-for-your-business/">PPI</a> offerings like cards, wallets, gift certificates, and other products. Thereby enabling interoperable payments on the LivQuik platform.Want to know more about building interoperable payment systems?Write to us at business@m2pfintech.com.<a class="link au ly" href="https://forms.gle/kJgVoD29t2vcxtbp9" target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox.Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link au ly" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link au ly" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech" target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Why Payments Interoperability is a Must for Today’s Generation?

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Blog-Banner_WP_01.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="447">India’s first step toward building a world-class digital payments ecosystem was earmarked by the launch of the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in 2016. The advent of UPI transformed the dynamics of the Indian payments landscape. While demonetization drove the adoption of digital payments, the pandemic fueled the surge in UPI, making it the most accepted digital payment mode in the country. Today, UPI is ubiquitous and the largest retail payment system in terms of transaction value and volume.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Blog-Banner_WP_02.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="447">This brainchild of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and supported by Indian Banks Association (IBA).<h2 class="heading-node" id="7e64" style="text-align: justify">What is UPI/ UPI Transaction?</h2>UPI is a mobile payment system that entitles users to transfer money to another party instantly. It facilitates inter-bank peer-to-peer (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. A user can link multiple bank accounts in a single UPI-enabled mobile application and make transfers without entering the bank details such as account number, IFSC code, or net banking user-id/password.Although UPI transactions are akin to NEFT/RTGS/IMPS, it’s more standardized across banks, convenient, hassle-free, and have zero/minimal charges. UPI not only enables quick bank transfers from wherever within a few clicks, but it also boosts transparency and interoperability. UPI apps use a unique identifier (otherwise known as UPI ID) to send/request money faster than NEFT and work 24 X 7. It also upholds contactless payment by generating a specific QR code for each user account.<h2 class="heading-node" id="7d62" style="text-align: justify">How does UPI work?</h2>UPI payment system has become a fundamental part of our daily lives. We have leveraged the UPI apps to make payments to merchants/Kirana stores or send/request money from our friends or family.Here is how a UPI transaction usually takes place.<ul class="list-node" id="sp7szltdm"><li>User downloads UPI app from play store</li><li>Specifies the mobile number to connect the device to the service provider</li><li>Upon authorization, creates a profile by setting up the Virtual Payment Address (VPA), otherwise known as a UPI ID</li><li>Links the bank account with UPI ID using the registered mobile number</li><li>Looks up another user/merchant through their mobile number, UPI ID or QR code to initiate a transaction</li><li>The payer enters the UPI pin to complete the transaction and transfer the money to the payee’s account</li></ul>(Note: It is important to note that the sign-up flow for a merchant is identical)Looks like a simple process, right?Well, there is much more going on in the background to make a UPI transaction successful. For example, during a UPI transaction, the money from the sender’s bank account is first transferred to the payment app’s pooling account or general ledger (GL) and then to the receiver’s bank account. This ecosystem primarily involves five entities.1. Payer PSPPayer PSP is nothing but a Payment Service Provider that allows customers to send money via digital transactions. It captures PIN/Biometric authorization credentials, validates, and sends a payment request to the Payee PSP via UPI.2. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)NPCI acts as a trusted switch between the banks and Payment service providers (PSPs). The role of NPCI is to manage the data flow between the banks and the payment apps and route it to the correct and verified destinations.3. Remitter BankRemitter Bank refers to the sender/payer’s Bank, also known as Issuing Bank. Upon NPCI’s request, it deducts money from the payee account and sends a response to NPCI once the debit is successful.4. Beneficiary BankBeneficiary Bank refers to the merchant/receiver/payee’s Bank, otherwise known as Acquiring Bank. It processes the credit request from NPCI, credits money to the payee’s account, and sends a response to NPCI once the credit is complete.5. Payee PSPUpon receiving the request, the Payee PSP acts as a Beneficiary PSP and provides the account details against a virtual address credit request. It validates the payee details and sends a response to the UPI to receive funds from the payer.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Blog-Banner_WP_03.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="hkz1t9gjg" width="100%" height="447"><h2 class="heading-node" id="230c" style="text-align: justify">Types of UPI Transactions</h2>UPI transactions are classified into two types:Direct PaymentDirect payment or push payment refers to sending money. Here, the payer (the sender) initiates the transaction. For example, sending money to your friends/family or paying a merchant at the checkout by scanning a QR code. In direct payments, the user can initiate the transaction using the UPI ID or QR code.Collect RequestA transaction is called a collect request when the payee (the receiver) starts the transaction. Say, you are shopping online, and you choose the payment mode as “via UPI,” and enter your UPI ID, then, a collect request with the bill amount will be sent to your UPI app. Once you accept the request, the payment will be processed. This is a typical example of a collect request. A collect request is also known as a pull payment and can be initiated only by UPI ID.<h2 class="heading-node" id="f8d3" style="text-align: justify">Features and Benefits of UPI</h2>Since its launch, UPI has made financial transactions much easier for account holders. With over 200 banks, many digital wallets, and payment applications supporting UPI, funds transacted over UPI are already more than those transacted through debit and credit cards.Virtual Payment Address (VPA) or UPI ID is the key feature of UPI. UPI Virtual Payment Address is represented as&nbsp;&lt;unique_identifier&gt;@&lt;address_provider&gt; and serves as the addressing layer for a bank account. It helps sustain privacy and keeps a check on financial frauds.Here are some of the benefits of the UPI Payment system.<ul class="list-node" id="wkxiyj1oy"><li>Universal payment system for accessing multiple bank accounts</li></ul>UPI empowers the users to link numerous banking accounts with a single UPI-based app and allows users to choose one account as a default account for making payments. This is the main advantage of UPI, as it eliminates the need for installing individual apps for different banks.<ul class="list-node" id="f2dvpeheq"><li>Unique identifier enables easy and more secure transactions</li></ul>UPI addresses the security and privacy concerns by implementing the user-specific Unique Identifier (UPI ID or VPA). The user can transfer funds using the UPI ID, thus ridding the need to provide the bank account details. Additionally, the UPI ecosystem has single-click two factor authentication to protect users from financial fraud during digital transactions.<ul class="list-node" id="0lmse4odg"><li>Expands business opportunities for banks</li></ul>UPI has made P2M transactions hassle-free and convenient. Almost every local grocery shop and street vendor have QR codes to accept UPI transfers/payments. This empowers banks to tap into the C2B segment. It also supports the growth of ecommerce transactions and has made online shopping quick and effortless as it drastically reduces the time taken to process a payment.In a conventional card transaction, the user enters the debit card/credit card number, expiry date, and CVV code and waits for the OTP to make a payment. With UPI, the user enters the UPI ID and gets an alert on their phone to verify the transaction and completes the payment within a few seconds. This gives banks the opportunity to infiltrate the ecommerce/m-commerce sector.<ul class="list-node" id="hg4d8be12"><li>No need to register the beneficiary</li></ul>Unlike IMPS/NEFT, UPI does not ask users to fill in banking details such as account number or IFSC code to register the payee as a beneficiary. This means the users need not wait for 30 minutes (in most cases) to activate a beneficiary. The interface allows the users to transfer money by simply keying in the virtual address or UPI ID to make the requisite payment.<ul class="list-node" id="premz2wts"><li>Instant transfer — anytime anywhere</li></ul>Customers can do UPI-based transactions round-the-clock, 365 days. Users can make payments or transfer funds instantly from anywhere at any given point of time without worrying about banking hours, bank/public holidays, or even a bank strike.<h2 class="heading-node" id="0586" style="text-align: justify">How is India using UPI?</h2>With over 200 million users and 323 banks on the bandwagon, UPI exhibited stupendous growth in terms of the number of users and transactions. Thanks to the scalability, UPI saw newer heights in May 2022. It clocked 5.95 billion transactions in May 2022 *, the highest number of monthly UPI transactions ever since its inception in 2016. Moreover, it recorded a 10% month-on-month growth not only in total transactions but also in value. (*As per NPCI data).<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Blog-Banner_WP_04.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="447">Connectivity and convenience are the prime factors contributing to the growing preference for UPI among customers and merchants. The most used UPI-based applications are PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, Amazon Pay, MobiKwik, iMobile, Chillr, and the BHIM app. Some popular banking applications with UPI features include Axis Pay, Baroda MPay, Pockets-ICICI Bank, SBI Pay, Yes Pay, and Airtel Money.Scaling up UPINPCI and RBI have constantly been scaling up UPI’s serviceability. At first, UPI payments could be made only via bank accounts. Then, UPI apps allowed users to add debit card details for transactions. Now, RBI has announced Rupay credit cards can be linked to UPI for payments. Experts believe it will not be long before Visa and Mastercard credit cards join the club.UPI 123 PAYUntil recently, UPI was limited to smartphone users with an internet connection. While India is home to over 180 crore mobile phone users, only 78 crore have smartphones and the rest use feature phones. To empower all such users to leverage the mainstream digital payments system, the Reserve Bank of India introduced a new mode of payment mode, UPI 123PAY, on March 8th, 2022.Since its launch, the platform has recorded 21,833 successful transactions with more than 37 thousand registered users. Economic experts claim this is undoubtedly the beginning of digital financial inclusion.Aadhaar-based activationFurthermore, NPCI included a unique feature in UPI for customers who do not own or wish to own debit/credit cards. It enables such users to activate UPI using their Aadhaar number. The OTP required to set up the profile will be sent to the mobile number linked with the Aadhaar card. Upon verification, the user can create the profile and initiate the transaction. However, the feature is yet to be launched for public use.<h2 class="heading-node" id="531e" style="text-align: justify">NIPL and international partnerships — UPI around the World</h2>The success of UPI took the world by storm. In fact, several countries are trying to replicate UPI’s settlement infrastructure. With this incredible technological feat, the Indian fintech industry is at the forefront of some of the most developed countries.NPCI established a special payments arm, NPCI International Payment Ltd (NIPL), to internationalize RuPay and UPI and facilitate real-time bank account payout in India. NIPL inked partnerships with several countries such as the UAE, the US, the UK, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Japan, and Singapore to launch Indian payment rails in their jurisdictions.Some of the prominent international partnerships include LuLu Financial and Al Ansari Exchange (UAE), Discover Financial Services (DFS) (USA), Japan Credit Bureau (JCB) (Japan), Union Pay International (UPI) (China), PPRO Financial (UK), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS), and Liquid Group, (Singapore), and Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) (Bhutan).As an inland initiative, in 2021, Induslnd Bank joined with NPCI to simplify cross-border payments or NRI remittances. The bank is said to use UPI ID to transfer money to the beneficiary. According to the agreement, Induslnd Bank will act as a gateway between the MTOs and NPCI’s UPI system for validating and settling payments into the payee’s account. With this new partnership, IndusInd Bank will become the first Indian bank to offer cross-border payments or NRI remittances via UPI. The product is in the testing phase and is expected to go live in Q2 of 2022.These partnerships are significant milestones in the evolution of the UPI payment system as it is expected to enable hassle-free low-value transactions and cross-border remittances.UPI is the cornerstone of India’s economic transformation and revolution, aiding the country to move into the future with a paperless economy, thereby curbing the money laundering activities and tax evasions. The interface has a tremendous potential to empower the development of next-generation digital platforms for lending and payments.If you wish to implement UPI in your business, write to us at&nbsp;<a class="link au mz" href="mailto:business@m2pfintech.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow">business@m2pfintech.com</a><a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

UPI - The Driver of Economic Growth and Inclusion

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-8-9.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="358">Did you know that your payment card could be your best brand ambassador?It doesn’t matter whether you are a business, Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), or a bank. You can issue prepaid cards, credit cards, and debit cards that will help drive brand loyalty and revenue.Wonder how?Simple. By customizing payment cards.<h2 class="heading-node" id="be40" style="text-align: justify">Why is payment card design important?</h2>Bland, run-of-the-mill cards lack soul. They do not call or speak to customers on a subconscious level and hence do not elicit usage.On the other hand, adding a personalized twist to cards enhances the emotional bond between the cardholder and the issuer. Card customization boosts customer acquisition, retention, transaction frequency, and value.Consumers worldwide prefer card issuers that deliver cool customized cards with family/pet portraits or pictures of their choice. But businesses and banks need to remember that whatever the design personalization may be, certain standardized elements need to be consistent across cards.<h2 class="heading-node" id="1bc2" style="text-align: justify">Design standardization parameters</h2>Here are some basic parameters that we need to adhere to while designing standard yet customized payment cards.<h3 class="heading-node" id="2149" style="text-align: justify">Card size requirements</h3>It goes without saying, card design starts with opening an empty artboard. And the next step is deciding the size of the payment card. Here are some standardized card dimensions.<ul class="list-node" id="gbcsqonb1"><li>Width and height of card: 85.60 mm x 53.98 mm (3.370 in × 2.125 in)</li><li>Radius of corners: 3.175 mm, in accordance with ISO/IEC 7810#ID-1 standard</li><li>Overall breathing space: 3 mm</li></ul>The size is all set!<h3 class="heading-node" id="aa47" style="text-align: justify">Types of design</h3>Payment card design can be classified into three types.· Abstract· Conceptual· Logo-basedAbstract — Creating a payment card with shape, form, color, and gestural marks.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/two.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="ari13g4jx" width="100%" height="358">Conceptual&nbsp;— Designing based on a particular concept such as gift, meal, travel, teenagers usage, and so on.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/three.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="iosfe6k87" width="100%" height="358">Logo-based&nbsp;— Here, the designer needs to stick to the bank or card network norms and design criteria. In these cases, the requirement comes with a standard design opportunity based on the client’s brand logo and color palette.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/one.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="2ak8lsd0m" width="100%" height="358">Now, let’s check out key elements that need to be present in payment cards.<h2 class="heading-node" id="e02b" style="text-align: justify">Elements of a payment card</h2>Any credit, debit, or prepaid card contains certain components that are crucial to establish identity and security, and enable payment processing. Card issuers cannot compromise on these element placements at any point in time.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-9-5.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="358">Front side of a card&nbsp;<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-10-5.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="358">Backside of a card1. Issuing bank logo or nameThe issuing bank is the bank that provides network branded payment cards to the customers. The issuing bank follows stipulated norms for logo placement on the card and the norms vary from one card network to another.2. EMV chipThe tiny metal chip that looks like a sim card is called the EMV Chip. EMV (Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) is a global standard for credit and debit payment cards based on chip card technology.The EMV chip is a square metal chip placed on the front side of the payment card. It stores sensitive information and is a crucial security enabler. Hence no other element should be placed on the corresponding space at the back of the card. The cardholder should make sure that no damages are done to the chip as it contains a critical security code.3. Contactless iconThe Wi-Fi symbol or NFC symbol on the card’s front side is the contactless icon. This icon facilitates contactless payments without entering the Personal Identification Number (PIN) on Point Of Sale (POS) machines.4. Card network logoRuPay, Visa, and MasterCard are some of the popular card networks in India. They connect the issuing bank with the acquiring bank to facilitate online transactions. It is mandatory to place their logos on the card.5. Cardholder nameThe cardholder's name can be printed in two ways on the card. It could be embedded via embossed printing or indenting printing to provide a personalized touch and inlay feel. If the card is provided in an instant issuance process, then the cardholder's name cannot be displayed.6. Magnetic stripeThe grey magnetic stripe at the back of the card stores all the sensitive information. It can be read-only through a specialized card reader machine that receives payments. As per International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, the magnetic stripe should be placed only on the backside, in either the upper or lower position.7. Card numberThe most sensitive data on the payment card is the 14–19 digit card number. These unique series of digits help the cardholder make successful online purchases by identifying the account with the card-issuing bank. The card number can be on the backside if embedded via indenting printing, but for embossed printing, the card number should be placed only in the front.8. Card product typeEvery card has its product category name, like Platinum, Signature, Business, and Classic, to name a few. The card category can be printed on both the front and backside as per card network norms. Each category comprises specialized features and offerings that are defined by their issuing banks. This category name should be clearly printed on the card.9. Validity dateSome cards require both the issuing date and expiration date to be printed. And some contain only the expiry date. These dates help cardholders understand the validity duration of their cards. Banks track these dates and upon expiration, they send a new card to the cardholder's mailing address.10. Security codeSecurity code is also referred to as Card Verification Value (CVV), Card Identification (CID), Card Verification Code (CVC), or Card Security Code (CSC). The security code is included in the payment card to provide an additional layer of security for seamless online shopping. It is usually printed on the backside of the card and alongside the signature panel, based on the CVV type.11. HologramThe hologram proves that the card is authentic and not a duplicate one. Some of the card issuers place their holograms on the front side of the card.12. Signature panelThe signature panel comes into play whenever there is a suspicious transaction. It is usually placed on the back of the card. Businesses can always match the signature on the card with the actual signature of the cardholder to check authenticity. Every cardholder must sign on the signature panel.13. Bank detailsGenerally, the contact number of the issuing bank’s call center is included in the card. This number is intended to be of quick help if the card is not working or needs to be blocked. The issuing bank address is also displayed to help in case of a lost card, where the finder can deliver the card to the respective bank. The banks also include their terms and conditions on the card.Apart from the above-mentioned mandatory elements, card-issuing banks and businesses need their branding elements to present on the card. That’s when end customers will relate to and engage with the issuing business.So, personalizing is not just for end customers. In fact, it's more of vanity for them.&nbsp;But for card issuer banks and businesses, customization is critical.<h2 class="heading-node" id="bc67" style="text-align: justify">How we enable customized card issuance?</h2>Issuing visually attractive and customized payment cards are non-negotiable to gain consumer loyalty and brand recall. We at M2P understand how imperative it is for card issuing companies and banks to deliver innovatively designed, and customized payment cards.That’s why we co-create white-labeled and co-branded card issuance and personalization solutions for banks, NBFCs, and online businesses. Here’s how we help our client partners issue and manage customized payment cards for their customers.By fusing business requirements, customer expectations, and innovation, we deliver white-labeled and co-branded card designs that speak to the end customer. Our full-fledged, mobile-first, customizable API stack enables hassle-free onboarding and the <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/know-your-customer-kyc-the-need-for-authentication/">Know Your Customer (KYC) process</a>. We also deliver limit configuration, inbuilt security and compliance, and end-to-end support from design to dispatch.We drastically expedite card issuance time and businesses can go to market with customized cards within days. Our cards are <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/pci-dss-the-payments-armour/">PCI DSS</a>, ISO 27001, and AICPA SOC 2 compliant with centralized security updates, monitoring, patching, and remediation features. Our in-house token generation platform delivers network-branded tokenization solutions that manage the token life cycle.Leveraging our vast experience in issuing cards worldwide, we’ve put together a checklist you need to tick off before designing payment cards.Here you go.<h2 class="heading-node" id="4947" style="text-align: justify">Tick off the card design checklist</h2>✔️Fix the print-specific CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, and KEY (CMYK) color model, to get the right colors on the card.✔️The position of the bank logo/name should be fixed as per the issuing bank’s choice.✔️Make sure that no elements are placed behind the EMV chip area.✔️Use Sans Serif font for card numbers, validity date, and cardholder name.✔️Standard size and alignment must be followed for hologram, magnetic stripe, card network logo, and EMV chip.✔️Stick to the type of design your client prefers, be it abstract, conceptual, or logo-based designs.The overall look of the card should be monitored and optimized keenly, without leaving any gap in the design front. But you can also have some fun and play around with the position and alignment of elements that are not expected to follow fixed norms. But ensure you are in line with the client’s requirements.The purpose of every card differs, that is why designers should bring out the right emotions through the right design.So, what are you waiting for?Go ahead and design customized payment cards for your customers.Need help? Want to know more about designing payment cards across card networks? Or need in-depth network-specific guidelines for design?Write to us at&nbsp;business@m2pfintech.com.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Payment cards design made simple: Here’s what you need to know?

Secured Credit Cards 101 - Where Credit meets Saving

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Artboard-1-copy-8-9.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="284">Using <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/prepaid-cards-101-a-definitive-guide-for-growth-and-profitability/">prepaid cards</a> is a great way to control business expenses, improve efficiencies and generate revenue streams. However, the time and effort involved in card issuance in-house are super crazy.If you want to hit the market with prepaid cards quickly within weeks, you need APIs.Yes, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/api-the-power-that-drives-new-age-banking-ecosystems/">Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).</a><h2 class="heading-node" id="2e39">Accelerates access and speed</h2>APIs speed up and democratize the card issuance and management process for businesses. Teams need not divert CAPEX or resources into building in-house prepaid card applications, compliance, partnerships, and support systems. Instead, an API call is all that it takes to create prepaid cards within weeks and onboard customers in a seamless manner.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-world-of-apis-how-they-power-fintech/">APIs</a> help customize onboarding and shopping experiences without diluting brand expectations and manage card usage and security. Though card networks like VISA, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover issue cards, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/">API-providing fintech firms</a> are the ones that facilitate card access, operations, and management.<h2 class="heading-node" id="534d">Empowers diverse ecosystems</h2>It doesn’t matter whichever part of the globe you are operating from or whatever industry you belong to. APIs can be tailored to specific geographics, industry use cases, and needs.Fintech firms factor in diverse demographics, currencies, regulatory and compliance challenges, digital payment standards, and infrastructures before getting started with card issuance. They nullify entry barriers and provide opportunities for every business to gain from the benefits of prepaid cards. Customized APIs cater to multiple industries and serve multiple purposes such as payroll, gifting, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/cross-border-payments-a-swift-money-flow-across-borders/">cross-border payments</a>, intercity-transit, international travel, government benefit disbursal, insurance, health savings, and incentivizing employees.<h2 class="heading-node" id="dcfe">Delivers top-notch user experience</h2>The card issuing APIs take a human-first approach while aligning data, processes, and consumer platforms. They prioritize experience design and enable hyper-personalized card issuance in an instant.Both physical and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-virtual-cards/">virtual cards</a> can be customized and built for ultimate customer experience and personalized seamless transactions. As APIs prioritize security, businesses and end-consumers can be confident about not having to deal with data theft or loss of money. This drives greater customer experience, retention, and conversion.<h2 class="heading-node" id="2ff0">Stringent security management</h2>Strongly encrypted with stringent security controls in place, it is next to impossible to hack into the physical or virtual card ecosystems that APIs create. Right from enabling <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/know-your-customer-kyc-the-need-for-authentication/">e-KYC</a> to countering processor breach, identity theft, to ‘friendly fraud’ (intentionally shared password) and false disputes, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-world-of-apis-how-they-power-fintech/">fintech APIs</a> can manage all without hassles.Program managers nip risks in the bud with strict red flag compliance, identity validation, and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/pci-dss-a-quick-guide-to-its-levels/">PCI DSS</a> compliance programs. Artificial intelligence modules identify fraud trends and track transactions to block vulnerabilities early in the lifecycle.So, in a nutshell, APIs can make it quick, easy, and secure for you to issue cards to your customers and employees. They also help businesses track and control expenses while improving customer experience and accessibility.But, hey wait. Don’t go yet.If you are at this part of the article. We understand you are looking to issue cards.And we have a pro tip for you!<h2 class="heading-node" id="506c">Pro Tip: Align business objectives, focus on core competencies</h2>Issuing <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/prepaid-cards-101-a-definitive-guide-for-growth-and-profitability/">prepaid cards</a> can be done in-house or by partnering with a licensed fintech. Whichever direction you choose to move, remember to align business objectives with the card program. You also need to sort out legacy infrastructure issues, regulatory risks, fraud monitoring, compliance, and points of authorization. And if you are launching prepaid cards on a global scale, you’ll have to manage country-specific licenses, contracts, and integrations to keep the card program alive. So, before proceeding, remember to brainstorm about the time, effort, and resource allocation.Or you can just focus on your core competencies and leave card issuance, compliance, and program management to PPI licensed card issuance experts.Need help in issuing prepaid cards?Get in touch with us at&nbsp;<a class="link" href="mailto:business@m2pfintech.com">business@m2pfintech.com</a><a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Why should APIs be your holy grail for prepaid card issuance?

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Artboard-1-copy-8-8.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="253">Is your credit score below 670?Don’t worry. You can still own a credit card.Yes, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/secured-credit-cards-101-where-credit-meets-saving/">a secured credit card</a>!Unlike regular credit cards, secured credit cards do not mind you having a low credit score. In fact, they help build your credit score and earn rewards as you spend.Not heard of secured cards before?That’s because even though secured cards have been in existence for more than 20 years, it comprises less than 2% of the cards market share in India.But that scenario is rapidly changing now.Fintech firms like <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/">M2P</a> have taken the initiative to enable financial inclusion by simplifying secured credit card issuance and program management. Banks like SBM, SBI, Kotak, RBL, ICICI, and other fintechs like <a class="link" href="https://wizi.app/home">Wizi</a>, <a class="link" href="https://www.sliceit.com/">Slice</a>, and a few others are issuing secured cards to customers with less-than-ideal credit scores.<h2 class="heading-node" id="ea78" style="text-align: justify">What is a Secured Card?</h2>A <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/secured-credit-cards-101-where-credit-meets-saving/">secured card</a> is a credit card that allows you to spend in a risk-free and rewarding manner. They are backed by a <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/how-can-banks-and-nbfcs-leverage-the-potential-of-digital-fds/">fixed deposit (FD)</a> that is used as collateral by the issuing bank. A secured card earns you rewards not just in the form of cash backs but even gold.Consider you want to purchase a secured credit card. All you need is a fixed deposit as supporting collateral. The FD can be an amount of your choice that will act as a credit limit for your card. The fixed deposit serves as a kitty for card issuers to rely on when there is any default in your payments.Wonder if a secured credit card is a good fit for you?Here are 3 compelling reasons you need to know.<h2 class="heading-node" id="779e" style="text-align: justify">3 reasons why secured cards are a good fit for you</h2>Regular credit cards have been overshadowing the secured cards market for a long time now.But not anymore!People reach out to companies that issue secured cards to enjoy the following spend-worthy benefits.<h3 class="heading-node" id="2ada" style="text-align: justify">1. Earn while you spend</h3>As India’s retail inflation rate rose to 4.48 % this year (as of October 2021), saving while spending seems like an impossible task. But, secured cards are here to bridge those gaps.Secured cards help you earn interest on your fixed deposits while you spend from your card. Apart from the rewards like cash back and airline miles, secured cards can also earn you tangible rewards like digital gold for every spend.For example, ICICI’s coral card earns you double reward points on supermarket and dining transactions. Another noteworthy example is <a class="link" href="https://gild.cards/">Gild from Wizi</a>, India’s first secured card that rewards 2% gold for every spend.<h3 class="heading-node" id="7fad" style="text-align: justify">2. Build or improve credit score</h3>Getting secured cards is the easiest way to improve your creditworthiness. It helps you build a good credit history and even improve your existing negative credit score by making timely payments. Even in case of missed payments, the amount will be deducted from your security deposit. So, there is no negative impact on your credit score.Once you have stepped into the world of secured credit cards, the credit bureaus get notified of your payment history within 30–45 days. This is how your credit score will improve over time, and you can get thumbs up for other credit options or loans in the future. These cards are really great for those who cannot get hold of a lender because of their bad credit score.Take a look at credit score ranges to know how issuers decide and approve your credit line.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Artboard-1-copy-9-6.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="37xsnx4zf" width="100%" height="253"><h3 class="heading-node" id="42be" style="text-align: justify">3. Spend at zero risk</h3>Secured cards give their users zero-risk spending options. Present-day customers enjoy using secured cards more than unsecured cards because of “the investment + saving + rewarding mechanism.”Secured cards are considered featherweight as you can also start off with a smaller security deposit and gradually increase on a monthly basis. This way, you can avoid getting into debt and save your credit deposit from getting deducted in case of missed payments.It also poses no risk for the card issuers as the fixed deposit or collateral reduces the credit risk. So, it is risk-free for issuers as well, as they can recover the outstanding amount from FD in bad situations.<h2 class="heading-node" id="c733" style="text-align: justify">Rewarding Savior</h2>Secured cards are a savior for people who face challenges with personal finance management. It allows you to make stress-free card payments, get tangible rewards, improve credit scores, and plan future expenses within the limit. Secured cards also help build your financial health as it is backed by a cash deposit for security.Having known these top reasons, you know what to do next.Yes, get your own secured card.Happy Spending! Happy Saving!<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox.Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.