IRVING, Texas & AMSTERDAM -- As it moves closer to bringing its mobile wallet to the marketplace, Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) said that it has selected Gemalto, a world leader in digital security, to build its mobile commerce solution.
The initial MCX wallet, which will be primarily barcode and cloud-based, will run on Gemalto's Allynis Mobile Payment platform. MCX will also leverage Gemalto's mobile wallet software for a smartphone application as well as development kits to enable retailers to embed the wallet functionality within their own applications.
Once it is fully deployed, the wallet will be accepted at all MCX members, a growing group of merchants that collectively operate more than 75,000 stores and process more than $1 trillion in payments annually. Consumers will have access to a personalized payment experience integrated with merchant offers, promotions, loyalty and location-based services, which they will be able to use at many of the large retailers at which they regularly shop.
"The caliber and scale of the merchant organizations behind MCX creates opportunity to elevate mobile payments," said Jack Jania, senior vice president at Amsterdam-based Gemalto. "We are excited that MCX chose our technology to implement and deliver their roadmap towards convenient and secure retail payments on all smartphones."
Founded in 2012, MCX seeks to lead the shift to mobile payments by providing better shopping and paying experiences for customers and merchants alike. MCX's owner-members include leaders in the big-box, convenience, drug, fuel, grocery, quick-service and full-service dining, specialty-retail and travel categories.
MCX is backed by more than 30 leading merchants. In the convenience and fuel channels, members include 7-Eleven Inc., Dallas; RaceTrac Petroleum Inc., Atlanta; Shell Oil Products US, Houston; Sunoco Inc., Philadelphia; Alon Brands, Dallas, Wawa Inc., Wawa, Pa.; Sheetz Inc., Altoona, Pa.; QuikTrip Corp., Tulsa, Okla; and others.
Major non-C-store merchants include Walmart and Target, as well as Banana Republic, Baskin Robbins, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Buy Buy Baby, Christmas Tree Shops, CVS, Darden Restaurants, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillard's, Dunkin' Brands, Face Values, Gap, HMSHost, Hobby Lobby, Hy-Vee, Kmart, Lowe's, Meijer, Michaels, Old Navy, Price Rite, Publix Super Markets, Sam's Club, Sears, Shop Rite and Wakefern Foods.
These companies give MCX scale and ubiquity unparalleled within the mobile-payments industry. The company is based in Irving, Texas.
The initiative has not yet announced a rollout date.
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