PaySend Debuts Payment App; PFS Teams With Garmin Pay

Welcome to The Axis, your late look at payments news from around the world. PaySend, a U.K. FinTech firm, has debuted an app that enables users to tap into their mobile numbers to make payments. Prepaid Financial Services (PFS) has teamed with Garmin Pay for smartphone payments in the U.K., shops on a famed shopping street in London are tapping into WeChat Pay as well as Alipay and Western Union bringing its suite of products to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Ireland.

U.K. FinTech firm PaySend rolled out its PaySend Link app to enable users to tap into their mobile numbers to pay people around the globe, according to reports. Through the feature, recipients can see the incoming transfer and send it to a card and, soon, a bank account. PaySend CEO Ronald Millar said, according to reports, “We are constantly looking for ways to simplify and improve customer experience and make it even easier for the sender to initiate a transaction. Now all they have to do is provide a recipient’s phone number and click send.” PaySend, which is a card-to-card money transfer network, operates in more than 70 countries around the world.

In other U.K. payment news, Prepaid Financial Services (PFS) has teamed with Garmin Pay to allow users in the U.K. to tap into contactless payments, according to reports. Through the effort, cards that PFS manages and issues will be supported by smartwatch devices from Garmin. Theo Axford, head of product, partnerships and portfolio at Garmin, said per reports, “For those that live a busy and active lifestyle, the ability to make purchases on the go is crucial to smartwatch users. We are therefore excited to partner with PFS and expand our partnerships with e-payment vendors.” As it stands, the portfolio of PFS includes cards ranging from virtual to multi-currency and consumer as well as eVouchres.

And in London, shops on the city’s famed Beauchamp Place are collaborating to launch Alipay and WeChat pay acceptance, InternetRetailing reported. Lalage Beaumont, Grace Han, Gladwell Patterson and McKenna & Co are testing out technology to accept the payment methods. As it stands, the outlet reported that “Beauchamp Place is one of London’s most prestigious and iconic shopping destinations.” It became famous with Nouvelle Cuisine restaurants and high-end shops at the end of the 1970s.

And, in Ireland, Western Union bringing its suite of products to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to the country, the company said in an announcement. The products are created for businesses that engage in cross-border trade of every size. Firms, for instance, can use currency options to lock in the current exchange rate for a set period of time or opt for flexible forwards. Western Union Business Solutions Director for Central Europe and Ireland Joanne Hunger said, according to reports, “The introduction of currency options will support business development and reduce risk from foreign payables and receivables.”