LIVE FROM CTIA WIRELESS 2012: MasterCard announced its PayPass Wallet Services, a portfolio of services which Ed McLaughlin, the company’s chief emerging payments officer, said at the launch event are “designed to deliver very safe, very simple smart transactions, both online and in store, that leverage the digital environment, to give a better shopping experience for both consumers and merchants.”

“We believe what’s needed is better ways to connect consumers and merchants, simply and securely, using all of their devices,” he continued.

There are three constituent parts to the new portfolio: PayPass Acceptance Network (PayPass Online and PayPass Contactless), PayPass Wallet, and PayPass API.

With PayPass Contactless providing NFC-enabled transaction support, PayPass Online is a new option for websites which enables customers to make purchases with a single click, using stored payment and shipping data. McLaughlin noted that this is especially suited to mobile and connected devices such as tablets, ebook readers and games consoles, which have screen and text input limitations which can make entering data a prohibitive experience.

With regard to its PayPass Contactless service, MasterCard said that it now has more than 440,000 supporting merchant locations globally, a growth of 40 percent year-on-year. It was noted that in the more advanced markets such as Canada, more than 10 percent of transactions are already contactless – “just waiting for smartphone enablement.”

PayPass Wallet is described as “a full suite of digital wallet solutions enabling banks, merchants and partners to white label their own wallets.” This will support products for other card issuers, such as Visa and American Express. In a statement, McLaughlin noted: “we realise that when it comes to payments, no single wallet will rule them all. PayPass Wallet Services simplifies the shopping experience while providing flexibility and choice to merchants, banks and consumers.”

Finally, the PayPass API allows partners to connect their own digital wallets into the PayPass Acceptance Network, including MasterCard’s check-out, fraud detection and authentication services.

“We are using a great consumer experience to enhance the relationship our partners already have with their customers, not to interfere with it,” McLaughlin said.

PayPass Wallet Services will be “production available” in the third quarter of 2012. It will initially be supported in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, and “subsequently” to other countries.