South Africa’s Standard Bank is the first bank to launch MasterPass, MasterCard’s mobile and online wallet service.

Separately, the credit card giant said it is working with uPaid, a local payments provider, to launch MasterPass in Poland.

In South Africa, Standard Bank is launching the wallet via a free app in the Apple, Android or BlackBerry app stores.

Meanwhile MasterPass will replace the existing MasterCard Mobile platform which has been available in Poland for three years.

uPaid will switch over users to MasterPass which will be branded by the local firm as uPaid Wallet.

Mobile applications available via the wallet include purchasing public transport tickets, cinema tickets and ordering groceries.

“In recent years we have successfully supported the MasterCard Mobile project as part of which more than 30,000 users relied on mobile payments in that technology. I am glad that as MasterCard’s partner we are able to be the first to allow our customers access to a new shopping experience at more than 500 Polish merchants as part of MasterPass”, said Marcin Kopyś, CEO at uPaid.

Introducing MasterPass will enable Polish merchants to potentially expand their sales to consumers in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, China, New Zealand, Italy and Singapore, the eight markets where the wallet is commercially available in addition to South Africa and Poland.

Other markets, including Spain and Sweden, have been announced by MasterPass but are due to launch commercially later this year.

eCard is the first acquirer in Poland to enable MasterPass payments for its merchants.