Freiburger Kantonalbank the first bank in Switzerland to offer the new generation of debit cards from Viseca

Zurich, 24 April 2018

Freiburger Kantonalbank is pioneering a new generation of payment cards. The bank’s customers can now become the first in Switzerland to be issued with the Debit Mastercard® and Mastercard® Flex. These cardholders always have the full range of payment functionalities to hand – at the point of sale in Switzerland and abroad as well as online. This is regardless of whether they choose to pay by card or by using their smartphones or wearables. Card issuer Viseca Card Services SA, an Aduno Group company, has made the market launch of this new type of debit solution possible. 

Simplicity and security are the key requirements when it comes to making payments in the digital age. The Debit Mastercard® and Mastercard® Flex offer both. Both cards are accepted at 43 million points of sale worldwide, in physical shops and for online shopping, which is a first in the debit card space. This means that cardholders will now be able to pay for their internet purchases straight from their bank accounts. In addition, both types of card feature a contactless function. The Mastercard® Flex combines the debit and credit functions in a single card, enabling cardholders to decide which function they use each time they make a payment. Furthermore, the Debit Mastercard® and Mastercard® Flex cards can be used to withdraw cash at any ATM in Switzerland and abroad that accepts Mastercard.
 

First digital debit solution in Switzerland

As well as secure payments for online purchases, the two new cards enable convenient and secure mobile payments via Android smartphones and wearables. This makes them the first debit cards issued in Switzerland to feature a mobile payment option for using smartphone payment terminals incorporating the contactless function. The smartwatches from Fitbit (model “Ionic” and “Versa”) and Garmin (model “Vivoactive 3”, “Forerunner 645” and “Forerunner 645 Music”) enable secure contactless payments via their Fitbit Pay™ and Garmin Pay™ mobile payment solutions. To make use of this option, cardholders simply have to activate their Debit Mastercard® or Mastercard® Flex via the respective apps from Fitbit or Garmin. The card information is stored on the smartwatches and Android smartphones in an encrypted form, or more precisely substituted by a unique digital placeholder known as a token.
 

VisecaOne app now features a mobile payment function

VisecaOne, the digital service that was launched by Viseca in 2015, allows holders of a Debit Mastercard® or Mastercard® Flex to obtain a full overview of their current spending and available funds anywhere and at any time. They can also access other useful functions in the VisecaOne app or on the web portal. The new feature Mobile Pay in the VisecaOne app now gives Android smartphone users the option of paying by smartphone at shops across the world that have contactless-enabled payment terminals.
 

Added value for all

From the word go, customers of Freiburger Kantonalbank have the full range of convenient payment options at their disposal with the Debit Mastercard® or Mastercard® Flex. Martin Huldi, Chief Executive Officer of Aduno Group: “Never before have payments been so simple and secure at the same time. With this debit solution, the only one of its kind in Switzerland at present, we can offer our shareholder and partner banks as well as their customers practical added value.”

“Proximity, competence and openness are core attributes of our bank. In launching these convenient debit card solutions, we are once again delivering on our core mission. We are delighted that in doing so we are also positioning ourselves as a pioneer in digital payments,” explains Edgar Jeitziner, President of Freiburger Kantonalbank.

Besides Freiburger Kantonalbank, other shareholder and partner banks of Aduno Group will be including the Debit Mastercard® and Mastercard® Flex as part of their offering in the near future.
 
More information:
Debit Mastercard®
Mastercard® Flex
Mobile Pay