BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At Mobile World Congress, MasterCard today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire C-SAM, Inc. (“C-SAM”) a leading provider of mobile wallet and on-device software and services. In acquiring C-SAM, MasterCard will speed the development and deployment of mobile wallets and payment solutions globally, including the rollout of its MasterPass™ digital service. Today’s announcement builds upon a global strategic partnership developed between the two companies in December 2012, as well as a minority investment by MasterCard.
C-SAM has powered many commercial mobile payments services in India, Japan (DNP), Mexico, Singapore (Starhub), the United States (ISIS) and Vietnam. The C-SAM platform also supports customer-specific offers, loyalty incentives, banking, bill-pay options and non-financial secure transactions. Adding C-SAM’s proven expertise in developing mobile platforms will support MasterCard’s work with financial institutions to bring new, innovative and secure solutions to market. C-SAM’s on-device application and back-end infrastructure will aid development efforts to enable consumers to use MasterPass both in-store and online across multiple communications technologies, including NFC, QR/barcodes and remote checkout.
“Consumers today are living digital lifestyles, shopping in new ways using a range of new products and devices. Bringing C-SAM’s mobile expertise into MasterCard will help us launch a wider range of mobile and virtual solutions better and faster – bringing convenience and choice to consumers, while adding value to our expanding partnerships with telcos, governments and merchants,” said Ed McLaughlin, Chief Emerging Payments Officer, MasterCard.
“The acquisition of C-SAM is a significant milestone in our company’s history. While we have enjoyed a strong, longstanding relationship with MasterCard, the team is excited to be formally joining such an innovative and industry-leading organization to deliver end-to-end device-based solutions for service providers around the globe,” said Felix Marx, Chief Executive Officer, C-SAM.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The closing of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is expected in the first quarter of this year.
Find a complete list of MasterCard’s news announcements from Mobile World Congress in our Digital Press Kit and follow us @MasterCardNews to join the conversation.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a 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’s 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 @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
About C-SAM
C-SAM, Inc. is a pioneer in secure mobile transactions technology. The company provides turnkey services to carriers, banks, merchants, settlement networks, healthcare providers, and large infrastructure providers. C-SAM has launched commercial services in the US, Japan, Vietnam, India, Singapore, and Mexico. For more information, visit www.c-sam.com or follow us on Twitter at @c_sam_inc.
Forward Looking Statements:
Statements in this press release which are not historical facts, including statements about MasterCard’s plans, strategies, beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking and subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Accordingly, except for the company’s ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, the company does not intend to update or otherwise revise the forward-looking information to reflect actual results of operations, changes in financial condition, changes in estimates, expectations or assumptions, changes in general economic or industry conditions or other circumstances arising and/or existing since the preparation of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of any unanticipated events. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to:
- the ability to attain the regulatory approval necessary to close the transaction in the first quarter of 2014; and,
- MasterCard’s strategy and the impact of the acquisition on its offerings.
Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements for a number of reasons, including those set forth in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, the company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that have been filed with the SEC during 2014, as well as reasons including difficulties, delays or the inability of the company to achieve its strategic initiatives set forth above. Factors other than those listed above could also cause the company’s results to differ materially from expected results.
