Airtel, MasterCard launch PayOnline service in Africa

Mobile operator Airtel, Standard Chartered Bank and MasterCard Worldwide announced the commercial launch of PayOnline, a 'virtual' payment card linked to Airtel's mobile wallet service Airtel money. The product initially launched in Kenya and will soon be available across Africa. Registered Airtel customers will be able to make online purchases from any site where MasterCard is accepted. The single-use shopping card will be initially available in Kenya for purchases made from non-Kenyan websites. Using funds from their mobile wallets, Airtel customers can request a single-use card number. The Airtel money services platform generates a 16-digit number that enables the completion of the transaction. The number expires in 24 hours if not used, protecting customers against online phishing. On completion of the transaction, a confirmation message will be sent to the consumer's handset.