Brazilian operator Vivo said mobile money service Zuum, which was launched last year through a joint venture with MasterCard, has proved particularly popular in the state of Bahia.

The payment service has been debuted in five states but Bahia accounts for 45 per cent of the service’s total customer base to date, said the operator.

Zuum is available in the states of Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul as well as Bahia. It is offered in a total of over 50 cities.

In Bahia, Vivo ran an advertising campaign featuring singers Saulo Fernandes (pictured) and Margareth Menezes to encourage take-up.

A joint venture between Vivo and MasterCard called MFS (Mobile Financial Service) launched the service in May 2013.

Vivo customers must pay into a pre-paid account from which they can transfer money to other users, pay bills, as well as top-up credit on their phones.

They can also opt for a physical payment card from MasterCard which accesses the same pre-paid account. The card is necessary for making purchases in retail outlets, or using ATM machines.

The mobile phone aspect of the service is based on USSD technology, meaning the service is accessible on virtually every mobile phone.