Paysafecard
paysafecard (as a brand stylized in lowercase) is part of Paysafe Limited (“Paysafe”) (NYSE: PSFE) (PSFE.WS), a global payments platform. Paysafecard is a prepaid cash-based, online payment method based on vouchers with a 16-digit PIN code. The vouchers can be used to fund online transactions without a bank account, credit card, or other personal information.
Users can purchase vouchers at local sales outlets or online via their myPaysafe account and entering the code at the checkout of the respective website (e.g. an online gaming provider). paysafecard codes can only be used at authorised online shops and should not be shared on marketplaces, by mail or telephone.
paysafecard’s scope of services and partner webshops varies by country. In most countries, a personal account called myPaysafe is available for uploading codes and managing balances. Starting in Austria in 2000, as of 2023 paysafecard is available in approximately 50 countries. Two former competitors, Dutch Wallie and British Ukash, were acquired by paysafecard.
In 2013, paysafecard was acquired by the digital wallet provider Skrill, and in 2015 the Skrill Group was acquired by the Optimal Payments Group, a global online payment processing provider regulated in the United Kingdom. Optimal Payments subsequently rebranded as Paysafe.[3][4]
Name: paysafecard and Paysafe[edit]
In 2015, paysafecard became a part of the multinational Optimal Payments online payment corporation, which subsequently rebranded as Paysafe. paysafecard, however, continues to be a subsidiary brand of the Paysafe Group in its own right, alongside some others, like the digital wallets Skrill and NETELLER.[5]
Geographical extension[edit]
As of 2023 paysafecard is issued in approximately 50 countries—covering most of Europe and North America, Australia and New Zealand, and some countries in Western Asia and South America.[6]
Countries with paysafecard available include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro,[7] Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates,[8][9] the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay.[10]
Acceptance[edit]
Products and services available to buy with paysafecard include online games, social media, telecommunication,[11] music,[12] and others. The scope of websites accepting paysafecard varies per country for several reasons. The most widespread use is for online games; for example, League of Legends accepts paysafecard in 41 countries as of 2018.[10] Examples of other partners accepting paysafecard in 20 or more countries include Amazon,[13] Google Play Store,[14] Microsoft.com,[15] Xbox.com,[16] Minecraft,[17] PlayStation 4,[18] Steam,[19] Guild Wars,[20] Second Life,[21] Facebook[22] and Newegg.[23]
History[edit]
Early years[edit]
The company behind paysafecard is based in Vienna, Austria. It was founded in 2000 by four Austrians, including the first CEO Armin Sageder, as paysafecard.com Wertkarten AG ("paysafecard.com prepaid card Inc."), later transferred into a GmbH, a private limited company.[24] The technical partner providing expertise and the original hardware was IBM Austria.[25] The following year, paysafecard also launched in Germany.[26] In 2004, co-founder Michael Müller assumed the role of CEO.[27]
In 2005, paysafecard received an EU funding under the eTEN program supporting electronic services with a trans-European dimension.[28] Subsequently, paysafecard launched in Slovenia, Greece, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom.[29]
In 2008, British subsidiary Prepaid Services Company Ltd. received an EU-wide e-money licence by the British Financial Services Authority (FSA), later the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000,[30][31] expanding to a small e-money issuers certificate valid for the United Kingdom in 2006.[29]
This authorised the company to issue e-money throughout the European Union.[32]
Also in 2008, paysafecard Switzerland obtained a license as a financial intermediary.[33]
Acquisitions[edit]
In August 2011, paysafecard acquired Dutch competitor Wallie.[34] In February 2013, Skrill, one of the largest payment services providers in Europe completed the acquisition of paysafecard.com Wertkarten AG.[35] A year later, CEO Michael Müller left paysafecard and handed over to his brother Udo Müller.[36] In November 2014, Skrill acquired British paysafecard competitor Ukash and merged it into paysafecard.[37][38] In August 2015, Skrill group competitor Optimal Payments group completed the acquisition of Skrill group, including paysafecard, and subsequently rebranded as Paysafe Group.[38] On the 1st of November 2021, Paysafe completed the acquisition of viafintech, the company that developed viacash (originally Barzahlen).[39][40]
Functionality[edit]
Basic function[edit]
A paysafecard voucher is a 16-digit code sold in stores and online. Sales outlets print the voucher as a receipt. In the respective countries, paysafecard is available in denominations ranging from 10 to 100 euros, United States dollars, pounds sterling, and Australian dollars, and approximately equivalent sums in other currencies, e. g. 100-1000 Norwegian kroner.[41]
When paying in an online shop, the user enters the 16-digit code, and the amount tendered is deducted from the paysafecard balance. Hence, the same code can be used multiple times until the full balance has been used. For larger sums, it is possible to combine multiple paysafecard codes.[42]
The current balance of each paysafecard, as well as its transaction history and purchase date, can be viewed at the official site by entering the respective code.
Issuing[edit]
In contrast to in-house vouchers and prepaid products, paysafecard is sold and accepted at distinct companies ("Third Party Billing"). For this reason, dealing with them is a banking transaction and requires either a banking partner or a banking licence. In the beginning, paysafecard was issued by the BAWAG P.S.K. in Austria and the Commerzbank in Germany.[43]
Since 2008, paysafecard's subsidiary company Prepaid Services Company Limited holds a licence of the Financial Conduct Authority (resp. its predecessor Financial Services Authority) "to issue electronic money (e-money) and provide payment services", valid for all countries in the European Economic Area.[30] Therefore in those countries, paysafecard is issued by Prepaid Services without external banking partner. Further, Swiss paysafecard subsidiary paysafecard.com Schweiz GmbH is a licensed financial intermediary in Switzerland[44] and issuer of the product also in other countries, e.g. in Australia.[45]
In the United States, payment regulations require an external banking partner issuing paysafecard, a role assumed by The Bancorp Bank.[46][47]
Distribution[edit]
In the beginning, paysafecard was sold as a pre-printed scratchcard.[48] Starting in 2002, paysafecard was sold as a printout called "eVoucher" by the company, a uniquely numbered receipt from an in-store sales terminal. paysafecard is distributed countrywide by various external partners, which is why the types of shops offering paysafecard vary by country. Typical examples include newsagents, petrol stations,[49][50] post offices,[51][50] pharmacies,[50] supermarkets,[50] electrical retailers and vending machines.[52] The worldwide number of points of sales is more than 600,000.[53]
Limitations[edit]
paysafecard has limitations manifesting especially when used for online gambling. Payments (deposits in gambling accounts) with paysafecard are limited to €1000;[54] for classic paysafecard (not myPaysafe) this amount has been lowered to €250 in 2016 due to compliance with regulations.[55] Some other online payment methods allow higher amounts. Also, a myPaysafe account is required to withdraw money from a gambling merchant.[56][57][9] Withdrawals to myPaysafe accounts are supported by several online casinos,[58][59][60] with Paysafe's President of Global Gaming, Zak Cutler, emphasising that consumer protection and safety is a focus of its casino withdrawal offering.[61]
Unlike credit cards, paysafecard does not give the opportunity to overdraw user funds.[62][63]
Additional services[edit]
The company offers services to supplement the classic paysafecard. In most countries, an online account called myPaysafe lets users buy codes and carry out repeat payments more comfortably.[64] At the checkout of a webshop, users may choose between entering a code and signing in to their myPaysafe account.[65] myPaysafe also offers gift card purchases – users can use their balance to buy retail and entertainment gift cards from the likes of Amazon, Nintendo or H&M.[66]
In several countries, paysafecard also issues a prepaid paysafecard Mastercard.[67]
In 2023, the company started offering a service called ‘Account & Card’, which provides a myPaysafe account with a virtual IBAN together with a physical or virtual prepaid card. The service lets users make SEPA transfers with their account balance but is only available in certain countries.
Awards[edit]
In 2023, Paysafe's eCash solution Paysafecash was highly acclaimed in the "Best Payments Led Financial Inclusion Initiative" at The Digital Banker's Global Payments Innovation Awards.[81]
In 2022, paysafecard, Paysafe's Vienna office, was awarded second place in the "Best International Companies" category at Austria's Leading Companies Awards, marking it the eighth time that paysafecard has been recognized as a top performing country in Vienna. It won first place for the same award in 2015 and 2017.
In 2022, Paysafe was highly commended for its eCash solutions in the "Best Contribution to Economic Mobility in Payments" category at the Fintech Futures' PayTech Awards.[82]
In the 2018 Austrian Great Place to Work contest, paysafecard won 1st place in the category New Working World and Quality of Living, as well as 10th place among all medium-sized companies.[83]