JCB and Viva Wallet Expand Collaboration Across Europe

Viva Wallet set to bring JCB acceptance to merchants spanning 23 countries across Europe from late 2020

JCB and Viva Wallet announce an extended European roll-out, which will enable contact and contactless payment between Viva Wallet’s European merchants and JCB’s 140 million cardmembers through both face-to-face and online commerce transactions.

The roll-out will be extended with an additional 6 European nations, over and above the 17 countries which have already been enabled, from September 2020. This means that Viva Wallet will bring JCB acceptance to merchants spanning a total of 23 countries across Europe from late 2020.

This collaboration will support around 80,000 merchants in Greece, more than 3,000 merchants in Belgium, and more than 6,000 merchants in the United Kingdom (and other countries) across multiple industries including retail, food, and transportation.

In 2019, JCB and Viva Wallet shared their joint enablement plans, which were initially geared to serving merchants across 12 European countries, but through an extended roll-out would bring JCB acceptance to a new total of 17 various nations across Europe.

JCB Contactless provides cardmembers with a secure, fast solution for making payments at convenience and grocery stores, taxis, as well as other retail purchases. Merchants will now be able to increase their brand footprint and welcome sales from 24 countries and territories where JCB cards are issued, including Japan, China, Korea, Thailand.

Over and above streamlining face-to-face transactions, this partnership will enable online JCB acceptance with J/Secure™1.0 (based on Visa’s 3-D Secure Core Protocol Specifications). J/Secure™1.0 is designed to be an additional security layer for cardmembers’ online credit and debit card transactions and provides cardmembers with a safe purchase experience. J/Secure™2.0 (based on the EMV 3-D Secure Protocol and Core Functions Specification) is set to follow the additional September 2020 expansion.

Mr. Makis Antypas, CIO and Co-Founder of Viva Wallet, said: “We always strive to combine our cloud-based processing infrastructure, our multiple principal memberships for acquiring and issuing services, and our participation in various payment systems across Europe, to benefit our merchant base making their payments’ journey as seamless as possible. We are very excited about our partnership with JCB, and we welcome their cardmembers, not only to make easier and faster online and offline payments, but also to accommodate the increasing demand for alternative payments methods in Europe, something not many other payment providers can support.”

Mr. Thomas Heigl, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, JCB International (Europe) Ltd., said “We’re thrilled to partner with Viva Wallet and to welcome increased, secure sales for Viva Wallet’s merchants across 17 European countries. This is a key achievement for us as we increase JCB cardmember acceptance in both brick and mortar establishments and through e-commerce transactions. The opportunity to extend into other territories from September 2020 is one we look forward to also.”

About EMV®

EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes 34 million merchants and over a million cash advance locations in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. Visit www.global.jcb/en/ and www.jcbeurope.eu.

About Viva Wallet

Viva Wallet are a global cloud-based digital payments factory with a localised mindset and configuration. Their mission is to change how businesses pay and get paid, and they aim to be the first payment provider that is entirely cloud-based, ensuring 24/7 uninterrupted service across Europe. Customers using a Viva Wallet card reader or payment gateway, along with a Viva Wallet Business Account, can earn back acceptance fees by making payments using their Viva Debit Card. Visit www.vivawallet.com.

JCB Press Office:

JCB International/Europe
Contact: India Stone
Email: istone@jcbeurope.eu
Phone: +44 020 7087 4754

JCB (Head Office in Japan)
Contact: Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp
Phone: +81 3 5778 8353

JCB and Mcredit launched Mcredit JCB Credit Card in Vietnam

MB SHINSEI Finance Limited Liability Company (Mcredit) – one of the leading consumer finance companies in Vietnam and JCB International Co, Ltd. (JCBI) – the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., announced the launch of the Mcredit JCB Credit Card.

JCB Credit Card (Standard)
JCB Credit Card (Gold)

The new Mcredit JCB Credit Card is the very first JCB card launched in collaboration with a finance company in the Vietnamese market and offers 2 different card grades: standard and gold card. The holders of Mcredit JCB Credit Card can access the JCB acceptance network globally with about 34 million merchants and over a million ATMs in the world.

The card offers high security transactions with an EMVCo standard chip and 3-D Secure technology. Mcredit JCB Credit cardmembers also enjoy a number of attractive features and exclusive benefits, such as JCB PLAZA in several world-class destinations and especially the lowest withdrawal fee in the market at only 1.5% of the withdrawal amount. The issuing requirements are also very simple with the submission of the applicant’s personal ID and his or her family register book only. Mcredit JCB Credit cardmembers also enjoy zero interest installment at more than 40,000 online and offline merchants in Vietnam.

About Mcredit

The MB Shinsei Finance Limited Liability Company (Mcredit) is a joint venture, with the two major shareholders being the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB) and Shinsei Bank (Japan). As a member of the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank – a reputable financial group in Vietnam for 25 years – Mcredit has been supported from a network of service points, partnerships, and customer relations systems. With Shinsei Bank’s more than 50 years of experience in risk management and development of operating procedures in Japan, Mcredit has inherited an advanced service model for customers.

By the end of the first quarter of 2020, Mcredit’s market share of customer loans maintained top 4 of the market with revenue of nearly 10,000 billion VND, increasing by 36% over the same period of 2019. In 2020, besides challenging business goals, Mcredit focuses on improving governance and operations to optimize processes and operational efficiency. At the same time, Mcredit will take priority to take advantage of information technology system to gradually deploy digital business and application of artificial intelligence, maintaining the top 4 leading consumer finance companies in Vietnam.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes over 34 million merchants and over a million cash advance locations in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers.

As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information: www.global.jcb/en/

Contact
JCB
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Corporate Communications
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp

PJSCB Orient Finans to start accepting JCB across the Republic of Uzbekistan

JCB International Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., and PJSCB Orient Finans are pleased to announce the start of JCB merchant acquiring operations across Uzbekistan. PJSCB Orient Finans has become the first bank in Uzbekistan to launch merchant acquiring operations for JCB, Japan’s only international payment brand.

Private Joint-Stock Commercial Bank “Orient Finans” (Orient Finans Bank) was founded in 2010 and it is a full-fledged universal financial institution in the banking services market in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The reliability of the bank’s financial position is confirmed by the credit ratings of international and national rating agencies. Orient Finans Bank will start the acceptance of JCB to expand the possibilities of servicing the international payment cards.

JCB is one of the leading international payment brands, founded in Japan in 1961. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to provide responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide.

After implementing merchant acquiring operations in autumn 2020, JCB cardholders traveling to Uzbekistan will be able to make payments comfortably at merchants using their JCB cards, as well as withdraw cash using the Bank’s ATM network throughout the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This partnership will also allow merchants in the Orient Finans Bank acquiring network to gain new sales opportunities with the global financial brand through its traditional merchant acquiring and e-commerce transactions.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes over 34 million merchants and over a million cash advance locations in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information: www.global.jcb/en/

About PJSCB “Orient Finans”.

Private Joint-Stock Commercial Bank “Orient Finans” was founded in 2010 and is a full-fledged universal financial institution in the banking services market of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The bank actively cooperates with major financial institutions of the world. The presence of correspondent accounts in the largest international banks allows clients to quickly carry out international transactions and documentary operations.

Contacts
JCB
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Corporate Communications
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp

PJSCB “Orient Finans”.
Gavhar Shamshiddinova
Marketing Department
Tel: +99 871-205-55-55
Email: g.shamshiddinova@ofb.uz

JCB and Agribank to issue JCB Ultimate Credit and Debit Cards

Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), one of the leading commercial banks in Vietnam, and JCB International Co, Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., announced the launch of Agribank JCB Ultimate Credit and Debit Cards today.

Agribank JCB Ultimate Credit Card
Agribank JCB Debit Card

Ultimate Credit Card is the highest line of JCB for individual customers in Vietnam with special promotion and premium privileges. Agribank JCB Ultimate Card holders will enjoy global travel insurance, one special and complimentary dish at selected high-end Japanese restaurants in Vietnam, up to 100% off green fee at 10 luxury golf courses and one free stay at FLC Golf Resorts group and free access to over 70 international airport lounges in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, China, United Kingdom and Hawaii.

Agribank JCB Debit Card is also launched at the same time with very attractive card design, the lucky cat symbol from Japan. The cardholders also enjoy various benefits such as withdrawal insurance at ATM, special discounts at more than 100 high-end restaurants, free access to JCB Plaza overseas customer service centers.

Furthermore, the holders of Agribank JCB Card can access JCB acceptance network globally with about 34 million merchants and over a million ATMs in the world, enjoy special privileges at selected merchants and customer service at JCB Plaza around the world.

About Agribank

Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) is the only 100% state-owned commercial bank in Vietnam. Throughout its development, Agribank has always been the largest bank in Vietnam in terms of total assets, operating network and customer base.

Throughout 32 years of development, Agribank has always affirmed its position and role as one of the leading commercial banks in Vietnam. For many consecutive years, Agribank has been in the Top 10 largest enterprises in Vietnam and won many awards from international organizations.

Agribank is currently focusing on effectively implementing the Business Strategy for the 2016-2020 period, with a vision to 2030, successfully implementing the phase two restructuring associated with the task of speeding up the implementation of the Agribank equitization plan under the Prime Minister’s Decision, maintaining its leading position in the agricultural and rural financial market, making positive contributions to promoting socio-economic development of the country. www.agribank.com.vn/en/ve-agribank.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes over 34 million merchants and over a million cash advance locations in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers.

As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information: www.global.jcb/en/

Contacts
JCB Co., Ltd.
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
E-Mail: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp

Saudi Payments, JCB hold partnership to enable the acceptance of its cards through “mada”

Saudi Payments, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) subsidiary, and the operator of national payment network (mada), has partnered with JCB International Co., Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co. Ltd., to enable the acceptance of JCB cards in the Kingdom as part of its policy in opening the way for global payment companies and systems to enter the local market in order to support its strategy to enrich the payments environment in the Kingdom and provide modern payment methods in a way that reduces cash and raising the level of competition in this sector, in addition to its consistency with the goals of Vision 2030 in serving religious visitors and tourists and providing them with various payment methods.

This partnership will enable mada network to accept JCB payments through the platform. This will facilitate local acquiring banks to accept JCB cards through their network of Point of Sale Terminals and ATM terminals deployed throughout Saudi Arabia and also provide greater convenience for JCB’s growing cardholders in Islamic markets such as Indonesia.

As part of its commitment and confidence in the Kingdom’s ever-expanding payments ecosystem, JCB will also be opening an office in Riyadh to develop and enhance its presence in the Saudi Arabian market.

“Saudi Arabia is the most significant market for JCB to expand the issuance of JCB cards in the Islamic region. Saudi Arabia is one of the most important travel destination for our cardholders. With the Kingdom’s enhanced Vision 2030 strategy and the ever-increasing close ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan, I am delighted that we have entered into this partnership with Saudi Payments for the acceptance of JCB cards,” said Mr. Yoshiki Kaneko, President and COO of JCBI. “Over the coming months we will be announcing partnerships with local banks to expand our acceptance infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, to cater for both the business and touristic needs of our cardholders.”

Ziad Al Yousef, Managing Director of Saudi Payments said: “This partnership is vital step to enhance the digital payment infrastructure in the Kingdom, by providing more options for customers. At the same time, our partnership with JCB aims to enable mada network to accept JCB cards, which will be used through sale points. Based on this step, we seek to transform our society into a less cash dependent.”

About Saudi Payments

Saudi Payments, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, was founded to operate and develop all major national payment systems.

Since its establishment in 1991 under the name of the “General Department of Payment Systems” at the Monetary Authority, the real launch of Saudi Payments as a Company came in 2018 has played a vital role in enabling the public and private sectors to connect with domestic and international payment services, helping to develop the Kingdom’s payment infrastructure.

Saudi Payments provides fast, flexible, and safe electronic payment services at low cost, through mada, Sadad, Esal and Sarie systems, enhancing the national electronic payment infrastructure and reducing cash transactions.

Saudi Payments supports the government’s Financial Sector Development Program, a part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Program. Saudi Payments operates to international standards, connecting local and international service providers with payment networks, reducing the need for cash payments.

About JCB

JCB is a global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 34 million merchants as well as cash advance locations around the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. www.global.jcb/en/

JCB and Shopee announce strategic partnership to offer greater flexibility and savings to Southeast Asian online shoppers

July 21, 2020 – Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, and JCB International Co. Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., enter into a regional agreement to provide online merchants and shoppers with enhanced payment options. Through this collaboration, the two homegrown Asian brands will jointly provide quality e-commerce and payments services for the Southeast Asian market.

The partnership will launch in July 2020 in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, followed by Singapore and the Philippines in the following months. JCB will offer year-round and seasonal discounts and an additional safe and secure payment method for shoppers. Shopee will also promote participating stores that support JCB.

Yoshiki Kaneko, President and Chief Operating Officer, JCB International Co., Ltd. said, “JCB is proud to be working with Shopee, a market leader in e-commerce segment, as we further commit to supporting our customers in the fast-growing Southeast Asia region. In particular, as consumer shopping habits shift to online and businesses digitalise their activities, we want to be able to further cater to these evolving needs. Over the past 10 years, Southeast Asia has been a growth market for JCB and we’re confident that together with Shopee, we can provide high-quality payments services for businesses and consumers, and continue to grow together with the region. Going forward, JCB and Shopee will continue to provide attractive and convenient services for our customers.”

A joint report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, found that the Southeast Asia internet economy has soared to $100 billion in 2019, more than tripling in size over the last four years. By 2025, the region’s internet economy is expected to grow to $300 billion. The report also estimates that 150 million Southeast Asians have bought or sold things online, up three times from 2015[1].

Terence Pang, Chief Operating Officer, Shopee, said: “We are honoured to be a strategic business partner with JCB. As homegrown brands, both Shopee and JCB are deeply committed to supporting local Southeast Asian markets and businesses. This partnership further strengthens our ecosystem to enable brands and sellers in Southeast Asia to capture the opportunities in online commerce. For our shoppers, they will benefit from having another secure payment method and enjoy additional promotions. This is even more crucial in this new normal as commerce is increasingly done online and we need to be able to support diverse habits and preferences. We believe that JCB will bring added value to our ecosystem and look forward to accelerating the digital economy in Southeast Asia together.”

Shopee has experienced good growth in Q1 2020. According to App Annie, in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Shopee emerged as the top in the Shopping category by average monthly active users and downloads, and also the total time spent in-app on Android. With more Southeast Asian consumers going online through their mobile, Shopee is also focused on driving digital payments in the region. In 2019, Shoppe launched ShopeePay, its own integrated mobile wallet.

JCB, the only international payment brand born in Japan, started its overseas expansion in 1981 by building acceptance of travel destinations for Japanese card members. Since the early 2000s, JCB has focused on expanding its international issuing business to Asian markets, and especially for the last ten years, JCB has been committed to, and has focused its efforts on the fast-growing Southwest Asian market. And its card members in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Singapore have more than doubled between 2017 and 2019. JCB is pushing forward the e-commerce segment, which is showing a remarkable progress because of economic growth and the diversification of lifestyles in recent years. JCB is also actively adopting new technologies to enhance customer’s payment experience including contactless technology which is used for payments such as public transportation.

[1] “e-Conomy SEA 2019 report.”
https://www.blog.google/documents/47/SEA_Internet_Economy_Report_2019.pdf. Accessed 2 Jul. 2020.

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It was launched in 7 markets in 2015 to connect consumers, sellers, and businesses in the region.

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

About JCB

JCB is a global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 34 million merchants as well as cash advance locations around the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

Myanmar Citizens Bank to issue MPU-JCB Co-Branded Debit Card in Myanmar

Myanmar Citizens Bank (MCB Bank), a listed company on the Yangon Stock Exchange in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Myanmar), and JCB International Co. Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., announced that MCB Bank will start to issue MPU-JCB Co-Branded Debit Cards as of June 2020.

The MCB MPU-JCB Co-Branded Card combines the MPU brand and JCB brand with the MCB brand, a strong and trusted banking brand in Myanmar. Cardmembers can use MPU’s nation-wide merchant network in Myanmar and JCB’s international merchant network with over 34 million locations globally.

The new MCB International Debit Card offers 2 different card types, Platinum debit card and Classic debit card. All the cardmembers can enjoy JCB privileges such as discounts at over 150 merchants in Yangon and also at an extensive merchant network around the world. JCB also provides lounge services in the city centers of several famous travel destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, Taipei and Paris.

In addition to the above, the Platinum cardmembers can enjoy exclusive JCB Platinum services such as JCB Platinum airport lounge service for free at 61 lounges worldwide.

Takeshi Fujii, Chief Representative of JCB International (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Yangon Branch) commented, “Myanmar is one of the most important countries for our global business expansion with the number of JCB cards in Myanmar now reaching 2 million. We would like to contribute significantly to the vision of a cashless society in Myanmar through this new tie-up venture with MCB”.

Mr Godfrey Swain, CEO of MCB Bank commented, “I am delighted to announce the launch of Myanmar Citizens Bank MPU JCB Co-branded Debit card to support the needs of our customers with convenience of cashless transactions domestically in Mynanmar and internationally. The card can be used for all face-to-face and ecommerce payments as well as for ATM transactions. Our customers will enjoy the extensive range of merchant discounts and benefits that come with the card, please visit Myanmar Citizen Bank website for more product information. The launch of this card is another step forward in realizing the transformational vision of MCB Bank, a project that commenced in 2019 and is designed to transform the Bank by the year 2023.

About MCB

Established in 1992, Myanmar Citizens Bank is one of the first private commercial banks in the country, the first bank to be listed on the Yangon Stock Exchange and enjoys one of the fastest growth rates in Myanmar within the banking sector. MCB, a Bank with a traditional focus on Commercial and SME segments, is now rapidly expanding its Corporate and Retail banking arms distributing innovative and competitive products and services through a network of nearly 50 branches covering 26 cities in Myanmar. In 2019 MCB signed a wide-ranging, long term consultancy and partnership agreement with the International Financial Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, embarking on a three-year transformation journey to modernize and build its banking operations, product and service offerings as a best in class model, meeting and exceeding international banking standards, efficiency levels and customer service. For more information, please visit: https://www.mcb.com.mm

About JCB

JCB is a global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 34 million merchants as well as cash advance locations around the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

JCB (Head Office in Japan)
Contact: Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp
Phone: +81 3 5778 8353

JCB expands its merchant network with 3C Payment in Spain

JCB International, Co., Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., Japan’s only international payment brand, and 3C Payment, a leading global payment solutions provider, today announce the activation of JCB payment acceptance in over 85 locations of a well-established Hotel Group in Spain.

This partnership strengthens JCB’s coverage across Spain and further enhances the payment brand’s goal to expand its network of 34 million merchant partners; and to provide a unique and seamless shopping experience to its 140 million global cardmembers.

With over 30 years’ experience, 3C Payment provides integrated payment solutions for hotels, Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), retail and parking industries across over 47 countries and territories, providing an effective solution to protecting cardholder data.

Mr. Tsuyoshi Notani, Managing Director, JCB International (Europe) Ltd., said: “JCB is happy to collaborate with 3C Payment because we understand the importance of global PSPs for providing excellent service to our cardmembers, as well as to increase acceptance in more international locations. Spain is a key market for JCB’s expansion and this collaboration could be introduced to the other European markets, so we have strategically chosen to partner with 3C Payment because of its ability to provide broad-coverage payment solutions in the T&E sector across Europe.”

Damien Estrade, General Manager Europe at 3C Payment said: “This partnership will help to encourage increased revenue for our clients who will now be able to cater to JCB card members looking to spend in Spain. The JCB card has a strong presence across the hospitality sector spend which matches well with the aspirations of our client base worldwide. We look forward to being able to widen our collaborations together with JCB in future”.

About 3C Payment

3C Payment makes it easy for consumers to pay anyhow, anywhere, using highly secure specialised transaction flows that supports the needs of their clients. 3C Payment cover the full transactional journey from integrated P2PE EMV hardware linked to their hosted infrastructure and payment gateway services, to online and in-app payment acceptance linked to onsite and ERP systems. Their secure 3C Integra hosted platform unifies multiple payment channels allowing merchants to confidently trade in person and online in over 47 countries worldwide with local or centralized reporting accessible from anywhere through 3C Payment’s web portal. 3C Payment has agreed to be acquired by payment company, Planet, subject to regulatory approval by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes over 34 million merchants and over a million cash advance locations in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million Cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and Cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide.

Press Contacts:

JCB International/Europe
Contact: India Stone
Email: istone@jcbeurope.eu
Phone: +44 020 7087 4754

JCB (Head Office in Japan)
Contact: Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp
Phone: +81 3 5778 8353

JCB signs a Strategic Partnership Agreement with TECHFUND for Joint Research on Sustainable Payment System Using Blockchain

June 1, 2020 – JCB Co., Ltd., a global payment network and a leading issuer and acquirer in Japan, and TECHFUND Inc., a technology accelerator promoting innovation in startups and leading companies, have signed a strategic partnership agreement to jointly research the construction of a sustainable payment system using blockchain. Based on TECHFUND’s blockchain technologies such as STO (Security Token Offering)*1 and staking*2, JCB and TECHFUND jointly research the payment platform that will contribute to solving various issues in the payment field.

*1 STO: A method of raising funds through tokenized securities issued on the blockchain.
*2 Staking: Earning a reward by continuously holding crypto currencies and contributing to the stability of the system.About JCB

About JCB

JCB is a global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 34 million merchants as well as cash advance locations around the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit https://www.global.jcb/en/

About TECHFUND

TECHFUND, a TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR, was launched on October 9, 2014 with a vision, “BE AN ENTREPRENEUR”. As the world’s first technology accelerator to support startups by investing “technology” instead of money, we have been involved in more than 300 teams of mentoring and due diligence, and have invested in 10 companies. At the same time, we provide an intrapreneur program, “ACCEL PROGRAM for BIZ”, for major companies and contributed to 30 leading companies’ innovations. We also develop scoring algorithms to assess the growth potential of startups and new businesses. TECHFUND is currently focusing on supporting blockchain and STO projects, as well as developing and providing ACCEL BaaS (Blockchain as a Service) to “accelerate” the development of blockchain applications for startups and enterprises. Among the supported startups is EtherSecurity, a company in the staking business.

JCB Introduces Tap on Mobile Solution for JCB Contactless Payments on Android Smartphones

Developed by fintech player Soft Space, JCB’s introduction of this solution is aimed at driving innovative contactless payments worldwide

JCB Co. Ltd. (“JCB”), Japan’s only international payment brand, is leveraging Asia’s leading fintech player, Soft Space Sdn. Bhd.’s (“Soft Space”) technological expertise to develop the Tap on Mobile programme that capitalises on the wide availability of Android smartphones equipped with NFC (near-field communication).

JCB Contactless card or mobile device can be used at any merchants that support JCB Contactless. Aimed at driving greater contactless acceptance among JCB acquirers worldwide, JCB has developed the Tap on Mobile programme which will be used to govern all aspects of contactless payment transactions securely made on NFC-enabled Android smartphones, off the shelf. This programme is secure and interoperable based on EMV and PCI standards.

The initiative to develop Tap on Mobile programme is a significant milestone for JCB because it believes that the Tap on Mobile solution is the future of payments, and is poised to help JCB significantly grow its acceptance business globally going forward.

“We are pleased to be working with Soft Space on this Tap on Mobile programme,” said Tac Watanabe, the Executive Vice President for JCB’s Brand Infrastructure and Technologies Department. “The Tap on Mobile is secure yet convenient for our customers, and given the growth of contactless payment transaction and consumer smartphones worldwide, we believe that the Tap on Mobile will be the key initiative for JCB to drive our contactless agenda to grow globally.”

“We are privileged to be working on JCB’s Tap on Mobile programme,” said Joel Tay, Chief Executive Officer of Soft Space. “With businesses being constantly challenged by changing global economic scenarios, Tap on Mobile is a tool that can aid them through such times by offering them an innovative, cost-effective and secure payment solution.”

The Tap on Mobile programme builds on the expertise gained through Soft Space’s development of “Fasstap”, world’s first NFC-enabled payment solution with PIN verification, certified by card brands in 2018[1] and subsequently 2019[2].

Tap on Mobile solution has been developed by incorporating JCB’s contactless kernel – the engine that powers contactless payment transactions. Engaging Soft Space’s technological expertise, the solution has met JCB’s necessary standards and approvals. This ensures that payment data transmitted is secured from potential leakage, thus reducing the risk of fraudulent activities.

With Tap on Mobile programme in place, JCB can offer its acquirers a new, innovative cashless payment option who will in turn, adopt and deploy as a cost-effective payment solution to their merchants.

[1] Businesses can Accept MyDebit Card Payments Using Only Mobile Phones https://paynet.my/press-release/2018/PayNet-Fasstap-Pilot-Launch.pdf
[2] Maybank Tap2Phone offers greater mobility for merchant mobile payments https://www.maybank.com/en/news-support/news.page

About Soft Space

Founded in 2012, Soft Space is a leading Fintech player in the APAC region headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Soft Space simplifies the complexity of financial infrastructure and creates value-added features for businesses to expand their business growth. With over 20 financial institutions in 11 countries adopting its payment solutions, Soft Space is supported by MDEC’s Global Acceleration and Innovation Network (GAIN) programme and received financial support through MIDA’s Domestic Investment Strategic Fund in 2012. In 2018, Soft Space ranked 66th out of 1000 companies in the Financial Times ‘FT 1000: High Growth Companies in Asia Pacific’ Special Report. For more information, please visit https://www.softspace.com.my/

Brenda Lim
Communications Executive
Tel: +603 7494 1222
Email: brenda.lim@softspace.com.my

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes over 33 million merchants and over a million cash advance locations in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 136 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit https://www.global.jcb/en/