Hear from Ari Sarker, President, Asia Pacific
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Press Releases
To meet growing consumer preference for more payment options, Mastercard launched Google Wallet in Malaysia. Mastercard cardholders from CIMB Bank Berhad and Hong Leong Bank Berhad can now save their credit and debit cards within Google Wallet.
Mastercard announced that it would expand its Farm Pass digital platform across the Asia Pacific region. The firm is on track to connect 30 million people globally, including 15 million in Asia Pacific, with its Community Pass services, of which Farm Pass is a part, over the next five years.
The Mastercard Economics Institute’s “Shifting Wallets” report looks at how consumers across the world are holding tight to habits that offer convenience, experience or both. Asia Pacific has seen a sharp recovery in outbound travel following the re-opening of borders, despite the growing cost of air travel.
Mastercard and Grab today announced a regional program to digitally upskill gig economy workers and small businesses in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The collaboration is part of Strive Community, a global philanthropic initiative developed by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Caribou Digital.
Mastercard today announced its collaboration with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to broaden its strategic outreach to Indian audiences. During this association, Mastercard will be the title sponsor for all international matches (both women’s and men’s) held on home ground, domestic cricket matches like Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Ranji Trophy organized by the BCCI, and also all junior cricket (Under 19 and Under 23) matches held in India.
Mastercard’s second annual New Payments Index revealed consumers in the Asia Pacific region remain among the most enthusiastic adopters of digital payments in the world, and the need for a greater focus on building trust in new technologies amidst continued global uncertainty.
Mastercard cardholders from Ambank, Maybank and Standard Chartered bank in Malaysia can now make payments using Apple Pay. Malaysia is the second country in Southeast Asia to support Apple Pay.
Mastercard has successfully secured accreditation under the Australian Government’s Trusted Digital Identity Framework as an identity provider for identity proofing level 1+, identity exchange and credential provider. It is the first private sector organization or entity to be accredited for more than two roles since the framework’s inception.
To support the long-awaited travel recovery, Mastercard expanded its Mastercard Travel & Lifestyle Services platform with new partnerships that focus on seamless travel experiences and priceless moments for cardholders, including WhatsApp servicing, Covid alerts and perks like lounge access when flights are delayed.
Mastercard unveiled its first ever music album titled Priceless® at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. The album, available first on Spotify and then other streaming platforms, features 10 songs by 10 artists from around the globe. Each song incorporates the recognizable melody of Mastercard’s brand sound.
Mastercard announced the approval of Marqeta, the global modern card issuing platform, as one of the first companies to join its Network Enablement Partner (NEP) program in the Asia Pacific region.
New research from the Mastercard Economics Institute Travel 2022: Trends & Transitions report reveals that for the first time since the pandemic, global leisure and business flight bookings surpassed pre-pandemic levels, while spending on cruise lines, buses and trains saw sharp improvements this year, signaling a key milestone in the global travel recovery.
Mastercard announced the launch of Mastercard Gamer Xchange (MGX), a first-of-its-kind, turnkey solution that helps consumers convert their unspent rewards points into gaming currency across nearly 4,000 of the world’s most popular gaming titles.
The launch of the new Pay by Account-enabled product sees EZ-Link expand to the open payment ecosystem, empowering users with greater digital payments capabilities.
Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition, which now includes more than 100 global banks, fintechs and merchants, has announced the expansion of its reforestation work to include 15 new sites around the world. In Asia Pacific, new projects are being launched in Cambodia, China, India, and the Philippines while planting continues in Australia.
To meet growing consumer demand for more flexible payment options, Mastercard and Pine Labs have partnered to launch Mastercard Installments with Pine Labs. The new program will offer Filipino credit cardholders the flexibility to pay in interest-free monthly installments with their enrolled bank’s credit card anywhere they see the Pay Later identifier.
Mastercard announced the appointment of Julie Nestor as Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing & Communications, Asia Pacific, based out of Singapore.
Mastercard announced a 5-year global partnership with Zeta to launch credit cards with issuers worldwide on Zeta’s modern, cloud-native, and fully API-ready credit processing stack.
Mastercard, DBS Bank and Pine Labs have partnered to launch ‘Mastercard Installments with Pine Labs’ - a new program that allows DBS/POSB credit cardholders to pay via interest-free installments at merchants with the ‘Pay Later’ identifier.
Bank of Mongolia (BoM), with the help of Mastercard, recently launched its M/Chip ₮-Cards in December 2021. The symbol of the tugrik, the national currency of Mongolia, is integrated into the ₮-Cards scheme through Mastercard M/Chip technology, enabling it to better play its vital role as the main payment instrument of the Mongolian national economy.
Mastercard cardholders can now pay for their trips on the Bangkok MRT by simply tapping their contactless Mastercard Credit and Prepaid cards at the station gate, eliminating the need to handle cash, buy tickets, and top up their MRT cards.
To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in navigating this journey, Mastercard Academy has launched ‘The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey’ – a first-of-its kind digital education platform that brings together a range of world-class academic and business resources to help small businesses learn and thrive.
New research from Mastercard reveals that implementing sustainable business practices is considered by many business leaders to be the next significant challenge faced by Australian organizations in the years ahead, with 76% identifying sustainability as critical for success in their industry.
Mastercard announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wakayama Prefecture, leveraging its global standard payment network to support the growth of the tourism sector and accelerate the digital transformation and cashless transaction infrastructure for small and medium businesses in the prefecture.
Mastercard announced today that Safdar Khan has been named Division President for Southeast Asia. This appointment is an expansion of his former role as Division President, Southeast Asia Emerging Markets.
