Orange will offer Visa Mobile prepaid accounts to Orange Money customers in selected markets of Africa and the Middle East by the end of the year. The service will be based on the Visa Mobile Prepaid product, introduced in October 2011 to enhance the security, scale and interoperability of mobile money programmes such as Orange Money. It covers person-to-person, retail and e-commerce purchases and Visa ATM withdrawals. Globally, there are currently 2.2 billion VisaNet account holders, 30 million merchants and 1.9 million ATMs. In partnership with banks, Orange Money subscribers can already make person-to-person transfers, bill payments and agent-based cash-in and cash-out services to add or withdraw funds. Orange Money, first introduced in 2008, currently has 3.5 million customers.
