Debit/credit: MasterCard and Banca Monte Paschi Belgio Launching a Dual Card

• MasterCard and Banca Monte Paschi Belgio are unveiling their new debit/credit Maestro card embedding an LCD display screen.

• Their PayPass-enabled PaschiCombo card is to be launched in Belgium on 5th of November. Cardholders will be prompted by the POS device to opt for credit or debit payment in store.

• First of its kind in Belgium, the front face of the card displays a button allowing the users to generate OTPs to secure online transactions.

• All customers will be proposed this card, the cost of which is to be set according to their credit line: from 25 euros for a 0 euro limit to 75 euros for 2,500 euros.     

Source: Press release

• The all-in-one PaschiCombo card makes the difference on the payment card market through including a wide variety of facilities. The debit/credit card is accepted worldwide through MasterCard/Maestro’s acceptance network, and encompasses contactless as well as online transactions security features.

• The security option resembles Gemalto’s Ezio cards (see November 2010 Insight) or Visa CodeSure and MasterCard Display Card, but PaschiCombo also adds in all the current main trends. The oldest bank in the world is highlighting its will to bet on innovative solutions, too.

• Belgium is reasserting its interest in one-time password generators, also showed in September 2011 through ING’s rollout of Ezio One-Time Password reader, for example.