Payment by smartphone coming soon from Desjardins - Members and clients will be able to count on a secure and user-friendly mobile payment solution to make purchases with their smartphones

MONTREAL, Aug. 12, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Desjardins Group is moving towards offering its members and clients a secure, fast and user-friendly mobile payment solution.

Thanks to agreements signed with EnStream and Monitise, Desjardins members and clients with smartphones will soon be able to use their devices to make purchases at retailers.

The agreement with EnStream will allow Desjardins to deploy mobile payment through Canada's major mobile operators using a secure solution equipped with NFC (near field communication) technology. The agreement with Monitise will allow Desjardins to offer its members and clients an easy-to-use and secure mobile payment application.

"We are pleased to soon be able to offer our members and clients a mobile payment solution that is not only reliable and efficient, but also very accessible, because it will be supported by several mobile telephone providers," said Patrice Dagenais, Vice-President, Payment Solutions and Business Partnerships at Desjardins Card Services.

EnStream was created by Canada's mobile network operators to facilitate the development of the country's mobile payment market through a cooperative effort. According to Almis Ledas, Chief Operating Officer of EnStream, "It seems perfectly natural that Desjardins would be the first institution to take advantage of our end-to-end solution, opening the door to mobile payment for all compatible smartphones in the country through our platform."

"With our banking industry expertise, we are helping Desjardins, a Canadian leader in payment solutions, expand its mobile offer by developing a cutting-edge payment solution" said Lisa Stanton, President of Americas for Monitise. "The delivery of NFC capabilities for Desjardins highlights our continued momentum in expanding our offering in the areas of payments and commerce, cementing the role of the financial institution at the centre of the Mobile Money ecosystem."

The mobile payment solution, which will be launched in 2014, is the first step towards enhancing Desjardins' mobile payment offer. The development of this new mobile payment solution is in line with the Canadian mobile payment guidelines announced in May 2012 by Desjardins and the major Canadian banks. These guidelines aim to guarantee security, reliability and ease of use for merchants and consumers alike.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada with assets over $200 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario and its subsidiaries across Canada, it offers a full range of financial products and services to its members and clients. Desjardins specializes in Wealth Management and Life and Health Insurance, in Property and Casualty Insurance, in Personal Services, in Business and Institutional Services. Best Corporate Citizen in Canada for 2012 and among Canada's Top 100 Employers, Desjardins is supported by the skills of its 44,942 employees and the commitment of 5,268 elected officers. Desjardins members and the general public are invited to visit Desjardins Group's education and cooperation program website at www.desjardins.com/co-opme.

SOURCE: Desjardins Group

(for journalists only):
André Chapleau
Desjardins Group
514-281-7229 or 1-866-866-7000, ext. 7229
Email: [email protected]