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Advantages And Disadvantages Of E-Money In Germany

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e-Money

• Issuers of e-money in Germany need a written authorisation from the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin or Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht).

• In December 2013, BaFin published a report on the regulations of Bitcoins in Germany. BaFin defined Bitcoins as units of account (Rechnungseinheiten) and thus financial instruments as per the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz). Commercial trading of Bitcoins is regulated and both issuers and buyers have to obtain a license from BaFin.

• Mobile network operator, Vodafone’s NFC-based mobile wallet and prepaid SmartPass account have been available throughout Germany since the beginning of 2014. The service is integrated with MasterCard-owned Trevica’s TSM platform …show more content…

• Cashcloud’s mobile eWallet application is available for Apple iOS and Google Android smartphones. Money transfers can be done in real time and without cost for private users. Money can be easily transferred using social networks like Facebook or Twitter. Cashcloud also allows customers to collect ‘cashcredits’, a virtual currency. Cashcredits can be collected by being part of the cashcloud scheme and via social media interactions and then swapped for real eMoney or used to make payments.

• In February 2014, MasterCard in partnership with Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica Deutschland, Vodafone and Trevica (a MasterCard owned subsidiary) introduced a new mobile platform to connect mobile operators and banks and accelerate growth in mobile payments in Germany. This partnership enables issuing banks to connect to a single platform instead of individual mobile operators to process …show more content…

• In January 2015, Wirecard, a German payments technology provider, launched a wearable wristband which allows users to make a payment using Host Card Emulation (HCE) at any contactless POS terminal. Users are required to simply swipe the wristband near the POS terminal to make payments, and the details of the transaction is displayed on a real-time basis on the screen of the wristband and in the smartphone app.

• In February 2015, Number 26 - a smartphone-only bank - launched in Germany in partnership with Wirecard Bank to offer unique banking experience to consumers. Individuals can open the account through their smartphone in less than eight minutes and the process is verified through a video call. Once the account is opened, all Number 26 bank customers get a MasterCard card free of cost to make payments and withdrawals. Customers receive a real time notification of their recent transactions in the Number 26 Smartphone

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