Don’t expect to see embedded SIM technology in your phone any time soon. The GSMA, which oversees key cellular standards, has placed eSIM spec work “on hold” while the US Department of Justice investigates the possibility of collusion between AT&T, Verizon and the GSMA to stifle the card-free technology.

The GSMA didn’t offer an explanation of why it was pausing development, and instead stressed that American eSIM users would need to “explicitly consent” to a carrier-locked eSIM (such buying a phone on contract).

All three parties have so far said they’re cooperating with the Justice Department, although Verizon previously tried to downplay it by saying it was “much ado about nothing” and just a “difference of opinion” with unnamed phone equipment makers.

The technology replaces the usual card with a chip that uses software to associate you with a given service provider. On top of freeing up room inside devices (crucial for wearables like the Apple Watch or Gear S3), it makes it much easier to switch carriers — you could sign up for a new network without even talking to another human being. And it’s that last part that reportedly has the companies scared. Many networks thrive on cultivating loyalty, whether it’s by locking you in through payment plans or just requiring that you stay in touch. If you could use an eSIM to leave in a heartbeat, carriers might lose a lot of that loyalty and would have to compete more aggressively for your business.

– engadget.com –

Visa and Dynamics today unveiled the Dynamics Wallet Card, an Internet of Things (IoT) device that holds multiple payment cards and includes a digital display allowing for greater security, instant issuance and on-card alerts or coupons.

The Visa-branded version of the Wallet Card is the same size and shape as a normal Visa credit or debit card, yet it incorporates multiple features and technologies not previously found in a single payment card.

Features of the Wallet Card range from the capacity to access multiple cards – whether EMV-, contactless- or magnetic stripe-based – to a programmable on-card display that enables account information, such as alerts or coupons, to be sent to the cardholder via an embedded antenna.

“Innovation in the payments category is not limited to wearables, cars, security or mobile technology – there is still much that can be done to update the card-based experience, which continues to be the primary form factor used globally to complete digital payments transactions,” said Mark Nelsen, senior vice president of risk and authentication products, Visa.

“Having collaborated with Dynamics since they launched their first product several years ago, we’re excited about the many unique benefits that the Visa Wallet Card can offer to both financial institutions and cardholders, alike.”

Wallet Card includes a mobile phone chip and antenna so data can be transferred between Wallet Card and a consumer’s bank anywhere in the world and at any time of the day.

The device offers a number of cardholder benefits and cutting-edge technologies, including:

• Multiple Cards in One: Cardholders can access their debit, credit, pre-paid, multicurrency, one-time use, or loyalty cards on a single card with the tap of a button. Account information is shown on the on-card display with the ability to toggle between cards or accounts.
• Instant Issuance: As the first instant, digital card platform, financial institutions can distribute Visa Wallet Card anywhere and at any time – such as in their retail branches or at events, and consumers can activate it right away.
• Greater Security: A bank can quickly delete a compromised card account number and replace it with a new account number, providing convenience and peace of mind for the cardholder.
• Alerts and Messages: An on-card, 65,000-pixel display shows both account information and allows messages to be sent to the Visa Wallet Card at any time. For example, after every purchase, a message may be sent to notify the consumer of the purchase and their remaining balance if they used a pre-paid or debit card. Cardholders can also receive coupons directly on the display or be notified of a suspicious purchase and click on “Not Me” to report suspected fraud and request a new card number.
• Self-Charging Battery: An organic chip ensures the payment card charges itself through normal operation and doesn’t require any work for the cardholder.

“Visa supported the initial launches of Dynamics first- and second-generation powered cards which brought new functionality to payment cards,” said Jeffrey Mullen, CEO of Dynamics Inc. “Today, we are pleased to again have Visa by our side as an integral partner and thought leader as we launch Wallet Card, our most innovative payment card to-date.”

On 31st October 2017, MK Group was  granted the  license for trading civil cryptography products of Prim’X high-grade encryption solutions for organizations, individuals in the fields of finance, insurance, telecommunication, transportation, education, electricity, communications, construction, petroleum, technology and state agencies.

MK Group was licensed to provide 05 following encryption solutions from Prim’X (France) to civil sectors in Vietnam:
• ZoneCentral protects files and folders wherever they might be. Depends on information infrastructure of organizations, ZoneCentral will encrypt fixed and mobile workstations, file servers with flexible and robust configuration.
For encrypted files, only authorized and identified users have access.

• Cryhod is an anti-theft encryption solution for laptops, which allows encryption of entire disks and/or partitions of all mobile workstation of organizations. The solution allows users to have free choice of authentication method: password or certificate, thereby making it more flexible and easier to deploy.
Cryhod hard disk encryption solution will shield your business from the risk of theft or loss or disclosure of stored information when the laptop is stolen, especially for people travelling a lot.

• ZonePoint is an ideal solution to secure all documents by the encryption of all documents placed in SharePoint libraries and managing the need-to-know. This solution allows companies to manage the security of their documents by specifying an encryption policy for their document libraries on Microsoft SharePoint. In addition, organizations can use SharePoint server on the Cloud without worrying about the risk of data loss.
ZonePoint is the ideal choice for organizations that want to share encrypted data internally or with external partners.

• Zed! is equipped with the ability to encrypt files to ensure security when exchanging files. The advantage of the solution is the capability to transfer entire file structure without the limitations of storage. With different access key formats, Zed! uses the key, either in the form of passwords, agreed upon with a correspondent, or in the form of RSA certificates (certificate files or LDAP directory).
The outstanding feature of Zed! is the password wallet managed by Zed! to assist the sender to create a password for the specific correspondent, in case the sender has no certificate. This makes the deployment of the solution simpler and more convenient.

• ZedMail is developed based on the basis of Zed! file encryption, suitable for all businesses and organizations with the ability to encrypt the body of the messages and any email attachments. The solution is integrated in the corporate email tool automatically and transparently without any impact on the operation of the organizations as well as email experience of users.
ZedMail is also integrated with password wallet so that ZedMail automatically generates a password for specific correspondent and stores it in a secure password wallet that manages for the user in case there are no certificates available for the email recipient.

All Prim’X high-grade encryption solutions are awarded EAL3+ certification and Standard Qualification by the ANSSI (French Network and Information Security Agency) and NATO Restricted and EU Restricted.

With the motto “Encrypt everything, anywhere and always”, Prim’X encryption solutions provide secure and efficient data encryption solution to protect organization’s data against loss, theft, disclosure and economic espionage, whether the user is at the office or on the move.

MK Group is the sole partner in Vietnam, Lao, Cambodia and Myanmar of Prim’X Technologies, the leading provider of software solutions for information system and data encryption in France.

The Clearing House (TCH) has launched RTP, its real-time payments system, the first new core payments infrastructure in the US in more than 40 years.

The new RTP system was designed and built through the collaborative effort of TCH’s 25 owner banks and meets the objectives of the Federal Reserve Faster Payments Task Force. RTP is open to all US depository institutions with a goal of reaching ubiquity by 2020.

The first real-time payments on the system were initiated between BNY Mellon and U.S. Bank yesterday evening. They will be very shortly followed by Citi, J.P. Morgan, PNC and SunTrust, who together represent the Industry’s earliest adopters of RTP.

“As an industry, RTP positions us like never before to meet the evolving needs of our customers and commercial clients,” says William S. Demchak, PNC’s chairman, president and chief executive officer and chairman of The Clearing House‘s Supervisory Board.

“At a time when our clients are asking for the ability to conduct their business with greater speed, efficiency and security, RTP will make everyday financial tasks such as paying bills, issuing invoices, making payroll or settling insurance claims faster, safer and more satisfying for businesses and consumers across the country.”

“RTP is one of the most important payment transformation efforts in our industry. It goes far beyond helping financial institutions address the legacy challenges of payment processing in the US (speed, transparency, cost) and improving the client experience. Bringing online a truly real time, two way, 24×7 payment and messaging system will create new scenarios and entire new markets in ways we have not even anticipated,” comments Ian Stewart, CEO of BNY Mellon Treasury Services.

RTP is open to all US depository institutions. Similar to Wires and ACH, RTP will become part of the core industry infrastructure with the potential to support many use cases and underpin financial institutions’ client-facing services. TCH is working with a wide array of industry stakeholders, including community banks, credit unions, and financial institution service providers, to drive RTP adoption.

– paymentscardsandmobile.com –