A new digital wallet has launched a bid to听鈥榢ill off鈥櫶齪lastic听payment cards.听
The听ImageNPay听Digital Wallet听鈥撎齛vailable听on Apple听Pay听鈥撎齟nables users to personalise a virtual Mastercard听with bespoke images that appear in their Apple Wallet.听
Customers can show their support for听ditching听environmentally听harmful plastic cards by choosing an eye-catching image of a unicorn, with听other designs include wildlife photography, football-related imagery and听one听supporting听LGBT.听听听
The app is the brainchild of former banking boss Michael听Donald, who is on a mission to create safe and secure payment methods that are kind to the planet.听
“They say that everybody is looking for a听unicorn;听well,听with听ImageNPay听you can actually pay with one!鈥� said Donald.听听
鈥淥ur customers can use our digital images to help turn plastic cards into dinosaurs that are extinct. We’re delighted that Mastercard has supported us to create a unique way for customers to choose听an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic cards.”听听
There are more than 22 billion plastic payment听cards worldwide, according to data published by Nilson, with around 7 billion being re-issued every year. Most of听these听are made from unrecyclable PVC plastic.听
Customers can download the听ImageNPay听app and听then pre-pay funds into their digital wallet. They can then choose the unicorn image to purchase goods by tapping their smartphone against payment terminals.听听
The unicorn design was created by highly acclaimed visual artist Yelena York to celebrate the launch听of the app.听听
Donald, a former Chief Commercial Officer of听MBNA, added: “We all pay for goods and services,听so why not make it fun and collaborative. It’s time to bring fun-tech into听FinTech!”听
ImageNPay, based in Chester, was developed in conjunction with global payment solutions provider EPAM and is available in the Apple store or via ImageNPay.com. The ImageNPay app is expected to launch on Android later this year.听
Apple Pay is accepted in grocery stores, pharmacies,听taxis, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, and many more places. Customers can also use Apple Pay on iPhone, iPad, and Mac to make faster and more convenient purchases in apps or on the web in Safari without having to create accounts or repeatedly type听in shipping and billing information.听