Wirecard and Mastercard Expand Strategic Cooperation to Promote Contactless Payments Via Wearables

ASCHHEIM, Germany, July 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

• The partners are cooperating among others with Garmin Pay and are strengthening the current mobile payment trend in Germany
• boon, the fully digitized mobile payment app from Wirecard, allows all users to make mobile payments independently of their bank
• Wirecard and Mastercard are planning further joint projects in the field of mobile payments via wearables 

Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology, and Mastercard, the international technology company for payment transactions, have today announced that they are to expand their existing strategic cooperation with the aim of making digital, contactless payments via wearables accessible to ever more consumers. As a result, boon from Wirecard will be available in Germany via Garmin Pay as of today. Further future cooperation projects are planned, which will make mobile payment with the own smartwatch available for more and more users.

Garmin Pay customers can now benefit from smartwatch-based payments with boon in Germany and six further European countries independent of their bank, as they are owners of a digital boon Mastercard. boon is the quickest growing mobile payment solution in Europe and since 2015 the industry's first fully digitized mobile payment solution to operate independently of banks. Currently, Garmin Pay functions with the GPS multisport smartwatches vívoactive 3 and vívoactive 3 Music, the GPS fitness watches Forerunner 645 and Forerunner 645 Music in addition to the fēnix 5 Plus series.

Arne Pache, Vice President Digital Payments & Labs at Mastercard, says: "The point of sale (POS) is being more strongly affected by evolving innovations than ever before. Customers expect sleek payment processes without delays at the till. As visionary companies, Mastercard and Wirecard recognize this trend. We have joined forces in order to actively shape the future of contactless, digital payments and are delighted to today announce our expanded collaboration with Garmin Pay."

Georg von Waldenfels, Executive Vice President Consumer Solutions at Wirecard, adds: "Over the next five to ten years, payment processes at the POS will undergo a digital revolution. As leaders of innovation for digital financial technology, we are excited about the expansion of our strategic cooperation with Mastercard and today's launch with Garmin Pay in Germany. boon users can now utilize their digital boon Mastercards on their favorite smart devices on the move, for example while out jogging or doing any other kind of exercise - it has never been so easy to make payments while maintaining your fitness regimes at the same time. Our intention is to offer these added values to as many consumers as possible."

For more information on boon, please visit https://www.boonpayment.com and about Garmin Pay at http://www.garmin.com/garminpay.

About Wirecard:  

Wirecard (GER:WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in the area of financial commerce. We provide both corporate clients and consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C approach. This ecosystem concentrates on the areas payment and risk, retail and transaction banking, loyalty and coupon programmes in addition to data analytics and conversion rate enhancement across all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates regulated financial institutions in several key markets, in addition to holding issuing and acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). Visit us on http://www.wirecard.com, follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook @wirecardgroup.

About Mastercard:  

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) is an international technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardDE, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

About Garmin 

Garmin has been developing mobile products for pilots, sailors, drivers, golfers, joggers, cyclists, mountaineers, swimmers and many other active people for more than 25 years. From automotive to fitness and outdoor, all the way to marine and aviation, Garmin has sold more than 190 million products in these areas since being founded in 1989. More than 11,500 employees today work in 50 offices around the world in supporting users of Garmin products to #BeatYesterday and live more healthily: moving more, feeling better and discovering new things. Garmin is characterized by its constant diversification, with products ranging from fitness and health trackers, smartwatches, golf and fitness watches successfully establishing the brand. Headquartered in Schaffhausen (CH), Garmin is represented in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with offices in Garching near Munich (D), Graz (A) and Neuhausen at the Rhine Falls (CH). In Würzburg (D), Garmin also operates a proprietary research and development location. A core principle for success is vertical integration: the development process, from design to marketable product and sales, is all conducted within the company as far as possible. In this way, Garmin is able to guarantee the highest standards in quality and design and motivate customers towards something new each day.

Wirecard media contact: 
Wirecard AG
Jana Tilz
Tel.:  +49-(0)-89-4424-1363
Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com

Mastercard media contact: 
Anja Klein
Communications Germany and Switzerland
Tel.: +49-(0)-151-6160-3231
Email: anja.klein@mastercard.com

Garmin media contact: 
Garmin Deutschland GmbH
Marc Kast (PR Manager)
Tel.: +49-(0)-89-85-83-64-925
Email: marc.kast@garmin.com