Quantcast
 
New book by Larry Connors Click here Improve your trading - See how


 

Kosovo's First Prepaid Cards Answer Demand for Accessible Financial Services

Wed. October 28, 2009; Posted: 08:00 AM
Stocks RSS
PRISTINA, Kosovo, Oct 28, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- V | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- A unique partnership that brings together major players in Kosovo is opening the door to the financial mainstream for Kosovars. Today, partners IPKO, Raiffeisen Bank, Better Served Kosovo and RevEurope introduced the country's first prepaid cards. For the first time, young, cash-based and mobile Kosovars can enjoy the freedom and security of spending with plastic and the ability to send money domestically, top up their IPKO mobile phone accounts or check balances with a simple text message, no bank account required.

Commenting on the launch, Jean-Marc Tonti, Visa Inc. general manager, SEE and CIS, said: "We are delighted to support the first pre-paid card in Kosovo and would like to congratulate all the organisations involved in developing such an innovative programme. It is of particular importance for the Kosovan market as it will contribute to increasing electronic payments in the country and bring more people into the banking sector and the formal economy - a stated governmental priority."

The IPKO Visa Prepaid Card allows customers who buy and load cash on the card to shop online, make purchases in the 28 million merchant outlets where Visa cards are accepted and withdraw cash from 1.4 million ATMs in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. With free e-banking capabilities, cardholders can manage their accounts online at www.ipkocard.com. Raiffeisen Bank issues the IPKO Visa Prepaid Card.

Raiffeisen Bank customers will also have the ability to top up IPKO mobile minutes from their mobile phones as a feature offered with the Raiffeisen Bank Visa Prepaid Card, which Raiffeisen Bank is also launching in Kosovo today.

"As a homegrown company that's been connecting Kosovars to one another and to the world since 1999 as part of our mission to lift living standards and provide opportunities, it gives us great pride to be the first to connect unbanked Kosovars to the financial mainstream," said Akan Ismaili, IPKO's chief executive officer. "Better Served Kosovo and RevEurope contribute deep knowledge of alternative payments and consumers who are new to financial services, and Raiffeisen Bank is a respected and trusted financial institution throughout the region."

"Raiffeisen Bank owes its reputation in Kosovo and the broader region to its commitment to delivering innovative products and services when and where our customers want them," said Shpend Nura, Head of Product Management and Development Department, Raiffeisen Bank. "We see tremendous interest in Kosovo for flexible, safe and accessible cash alternatives and are proud to join our partners in introducing these pioneering solutions."

RevEurope developed, promotes and provides the distribution and processing platform jointly with Better Served Kosovo for the IPKO Visa Prepaid Card and independently for the Raiffeisen Bank Visa Prepaid Card. Through a global agreement with MPOWER Mobile, a sister company, RevEurope powers the cards' integrated YAP mobile service that enables their mobile money transfer and mobile top-up capabilities.

"Better Served Kosovo is extremely fortunate to be involved with a group of partners who are committed to developing innovative payment solutions that address the needs of Kosovar consumers," said Martin Davis, managing partner of Better Served Kosovo. "Our combined goal is to make payments more efficient for consumers, businesses and governments as Kosovo moves from a cash-based economy to electronic payments."

"Kosovo is a country that's brimming with optimism and entrepreneurial energy, a new country with a young population that's open to new opportunities and new ways of doing things - we're confident Kosovars will embrace this new way to pay," said John Mitchell, chief executive officer of RevEurope.

The IPKO Prepaid Visa Card is available to any Kosovo resident with valid identification online at www.ipkocard.com or any of the 14 IPKO stores in Kosovo. For more information on the IPKO Visa Prepaid Card, please visit www.ipkocard.com.

Customers with proper identification can purchase a Raiffeisen Bank Prepaid Visa Card "off the rack" from Raiffeisen Bank branch locations in Kosovo. For more information on the Raiffeisen Bank Visa Prepaid Card offered in Kosovo, please visit http://www.kartelemeparapagim.com.

About IPKO

IPKO Telecommunications LLC is recognized as one of the fastest growing telecommunications companies in Europe. Established in 1999, IPKO has grown from being the first Kosova-wide Internet provider to becoming a modern enterprise offering a full range of integrated services as well as content, in mobile communications, fixed telephony, digital cable television, Internet services as well as media.

IPKO is known as a modern company with advanced and affordable services, and has a reputation of a company who cares for its clients. Whether in the personal or business sectors, our innovation extends to products and services that are carefully tailor-made to suit customers' diverse needs. Our philosophy of tailoring tariff plans and personalized offers to cater to the changing needs of our customers with different lifestyles in Kosovo is reflected in the diversity of our services. For more information, please visit www.ipko.com.

About Raiffeisen Bank

Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo is a network bank of Raiffeisen International (RI). RI operates one of the largest banking networks in CEE, covering 17 markets across the region through subsidiary banks, leasing companies and a range of other financial service providers. The group's nearly 60,000 employees service around 15 million customers via more than 3,100 business outlets. Raiffeisen International is a fully-consolidated subsidiary of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Osterreich AG (RZB), which owns about 70 per cent of the common stock. The remainder is in free float, with the shares listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange. RZB is a leading corporate and investment bank in Austria and the central institution of the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group, the country's largest banking group. For more information, please visit www.raiffeisen-kosovo.com.

About Better Served Kosovo

Better Served Kosovo is a local Kosovo entity within the Better Served World group of companies. Better Served World links financial institutions, wireless carriers, payment processors and bill payment providers through a unified, secure and scalable technology platform. The mission of Better Served World is to extend the payment capabilities of our partners and cater to the needs of end users with innovative global solutions. By developing local businesses within emerging markets, our philosophy is to empower local talent to serve a local community with compelling, integrated solutions.

About RevEurope

Based in Dublin, Ireland, RevEurope develops, markets and distributes a range of payment products designed to meet the needs of consumers underserved by traditional financial services. RevEurope forms part of Rev Worldwide, the first global network of payment companies created to innovate end-to-end payment solutions that allow underserved consumers around the world to participate in today's mainstream economy. Rev Worldwide partners with financial institutions, telecommunications companies, merchants and government entities to serve consumers through card payments and payment processing, reload networks, mobile payments, loyalty programs, money transfers and bill payment. The Rev Worldwide companies are members of the MPOWER Ventures investment portfolio. For more information, please visit www.revworldwide.com.

About Visa

Visa Inc. operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. This includes consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, which are offered under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world, and Visa/PLUS is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in more than 200 countries. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.

SOURCE RevEurope

http://www.revworldwide.com
For full details on Visa Inc (V) click here. Visa Inc (V) has Short Term PowerRatings of 4. Details on Visa Inc (V) Short Term PowerRatings is available at This Link.

    


More News:   Market Updates | Stock Alerts | All Trading News | Stock Index

Email
Print
Archives
Feedback
Email Article Link
Close X
Recipients email address
Your name
Your email
Add a note (optional)




Stocks RSS





Related News [V]
  UPCOMING EVENTS
Learn new strategies, how to trade in this market, and the stocks you should be focusing on each day. Join us for our free 20 minute tele-seminars during the week.
* Attendance is strictly limited and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
PREMIER SPONSORED LINKS
TRADE CENTER
 
The TradingMarkets Directory
RELATED SITES
Nothing but forex
Please call 1-213-955-5858 ext. 1

About TradingMarkets | Contact | Advertise | Careers | Link to Us | Site Map | Help | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Return Policy | Testimonials | Feedback

Disclaimer:

The Connors Group, Inc. ("Company") is not an investment advisory service, nor a registered investment advisor or broker-dealer and does not purport to tell or suggest which securities or currencies customers should buy or sell for themselves. The analysts and employees or affiliates of Company may hold positions in the stocks, currencies or industries discussed here. You understand and acknowledge that there is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities and/or currencies. The Company, the authors, the publisher, and all affiliates of Company assume no responsibility or liability for your trading and investment results. Factual statements on the Company's website, or in its publications, are made as of the date stated and are subject to change without notice.

It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable or that they will not result in losses. Past results of any individual trader or trading system published by Company are not indicative of future returns by that trader or system, and are not indicative of future returns which be realized by you. In addition, the indicators, strategies, columns, articles and all other features of Company's products (collectively, the "Information") are provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Examples presented on Company's website are for educational purposes only. Such set-ups are not solicitations of any order to buy or sell. Accordingly, you should not rely solely on the Information in making any investment. Rather, you should use the Information only as a starting point for doing additional independent research in order to allow you to form your own opinion regarding investments. You should always check with your licensed financial advisor and tax advisor to determine the suitability of any investment.

HYPOTHETICAL OR SIMULATED PERFORMANCE RESULTS HAVE CERTAIN INHERENT LIMITATIONS. UNLIKE AN ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RECORD, SIMULATED RESULTS DO NOT REPRESENT ACTUAL TRADING AND MAY NOT BE IMPACTED BY BROKERAGE AND OTHER SLIPPAGE FEES. ALSO, SINCE THE TRADES HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN EXECUTED, THE RESULTS MAY HAVE UNDER- OR OVER-COMPENSATED FOR THE IMPACT, IF ANY, OF CERTAIN MARKET FACTORS, SUCH AS LACK OF LIQUIDITY. SIMULATED TRADING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT ANY ACCOUNT WILL OR IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE PROFITS OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN.

The Connors Group, Inc.
10 Exchange Place, Suite 1800
Jersey City, NJ 07302

© Copyright 2009 The Connors Group, Inc.


All analyst commentary provided on TradingMarkets.com is provided for educational purposes only. The analysts and employees or affiliates of TradingMarkets.com may hold positions in the stocks or industries discussed here. This information is NOT a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Your use of this and all information contained on TradingMarkets.com is governed by the Terms and Conditions of Use. Please click the link to view those terms. Follow this link to read our Editorial Policy.

© 2009 The Connors Group, Inc.