Clear2Pay, the international technology provider of next generation payment solutions and expertise for financial institutions has co-operated with the innovative national postal provider bpost, in yesterday’s launch of bpaid, the first MasterCard PayPass prepaid card in Belgium, with Cetrel and Oberthur Technologies. Working in close partnership with bpost, Clear2Pay has created a winning strategy that has enabled bpost’s first ever card issuance program to go from vision to launch in less than 15 months.

In preparation for the impending launch of contactless card acceptance in Belgium, the bpaid card has been equipped with MasterCard PayPass technology, which lets cardholders pay with a simple tap of their card, and also features an unusual vertical design to give the card a unique look. Both novel elements increased the level of complexity when implementing this breakthrough product. It will be available at all bpost post offices from the 13th of February, ensuring an immediate and countrywide availability.

The bpaid card itself will not be personalised to the cardholder, allowing bpost to issue and activate the card immediately for use within minutes of purchase. Available to all and accepted at millions of retailers both in Belgium and around the world, it is envisaged that this card will accelerate the development of the eCommerce market in Belgium, which currently lags behind that of all neighbouring countries due to consumer concerns over using their current payment methods online. As prepaid cards such as bpaid are not directly connected to the cardholder’s current account or credit line, users are in full control of their budgets and risk levels by loading the card just prior to a transaction.

Executive Board Member of bpost and sponsor of the project Koen Van Gerven states: “By leveraging the expertise of Clear2Pay we have been able to launch a product that previously would have been beyond our comfort zone. Their support has been invaluable in ensuring that we launched a market leading product in a timescale that potential competitors would find difficult to replicate.”

Head of Management Consulting at Clear2Pay, Ainsley Ward, adds, “From the onset, bpost had a clear idea of their target demographic and we were able to assist them in the design, implementation and launch of a program that fulfilled their needs completely. This innovative project has been a great collaborative learning process for both organizations as bpost is not a traditional card issuer and so much of what is taken as known in the cards business has had to be revisited. bpost has really pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved in Prepaid.”

The bpaid card issued by bpost is processed by Cetrel in Luxembourg and uses Oberthur Technologies (NL) dual interface cards. This partnership, together with the support by MasterCard has been vital in launching this prepaid card in such a short timeframe.