Banque Populaire launches contactless payment pilot in Besançon

Banque Populaire is launching the ‘Flash' card pilot project for payment with the contactless Visa Carte Bleue card, which implements Visa payWave technology.

The trial will run until Q4 2009 with the collaboration of 200 retailers who are clients of Banque Populaire Bourgogne Franche-Comté in Besançon. It will enable nearly 4,000 holders of the Banque Populaire Flash card to pay for purchases of less than €20.

“We are pleased to be carrying out this new pilot project with the Banque Populaire Group and Natixis Paiements, which will be contributing to the development and enhancement of contactless solutions,” comments Roland Entz, MD, Visa Europe. “The project also underscores Visa's commitment to facilitate the roll out of contactless payment in France.”

The worldwide launch of Visa payWave programmes will speed up checkout times and facilitate transactions at retailers that accept Visa payWave cards. Similar programmes are being implemented in the UK, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, the US, Canada, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Guatemala.

In France, Visa Europe is also participating in the “Payez Mobile” contactless payment by mobile phone project in Strasbourg and Caen (MPW 101, 109, 115).