Australians To Hit New Zealand Shops With Mini Cards
February 2005
For Immediate Release
Australians to hit New Zealand shops with mini cards
Visiting Australian Shoppers may present retailers with plastic of a different kind as their first Visa Mini cards come
into use this month.
The world's leading payment brand Visa has joined forces with the National Australia Bank to release the National Visa
Mini, which is 43 per cent smaller than a standard-sized card.
Bruce Mansfield, General Manager of Visa Australia and New Zealand, said the National Visa Mini was an innovative
product that would provide customers with greater choice and a higher level of convenience.
"The development of the Visa Mini increases card accessibility and is a new opportunity to drive additional business for
our merchant partners," Mr Mansfield said. "The active younger adult market will find the Visa Mini particularly
appealing because it will be easier to carry when they are out and about, on holidays or active with sports."
The Visa Mini was first launched in the United States in July 2002 and has proven a huge global success for Visa with
more than 22 million cards issued. A breakthrough in card technology, the mini card's patented magnetic stripe has
resulted in a card that measures a mere 40mm by 60 mm, making it the smallest credit card in the market place.
Customers will be able to use their Visa Mini card at more than 20 million point-of-sale EFTPOS terminals with swipe
readers around the world.
The Visa Mini has a small perforated hole in the lower left corner to allow for easy attachment to a key chain or mobile
phone, eliminating the need for cardholders to carry a wallet or purse.
The Visa Mini also comes with a full-sized companion card that is required for use in ATMs and non-swipe terminals. The
smaller card cannot be used at terminals which require the card to be inserted (ie most ATMs and "dip" terminals).
Security features on the Visa Mini include:
* Dove hologram and UV Dove
* Blue, white and gold Visa Flag with micro printing
* Pre-printed BIN and three-digit CVV2 value on the signature panel.
Visit www.visa.co.nz to find out more about the Visa Mini and to download a briefing for merchants including Frequently Asked Questions.
Visa International
Visa is the world's leading payment brand generating more than US$3 trillion in annual card sales volume. Visa has
unsurpassed acceptance in more than 150 countries. The Visa organization plays a pivotal role in developing innovative
payment products and technologies to benefit its 21,000 member financial institutions and their cardholders. Visa is a
leader in Internet based payments and is pioneering the creation of u-commerce, or universal commerce--the ability to
conduct commerce anywhere, anytime, and any way. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com. Visa in Asia
Pacific In Asia Pacific, Visa has a greater market share than all other payment card brands combined with 62 percent of
all card purchases at the point of sale being made using VISA cards. There are currently more than 229 million
VISA-branded cards in the region. Through September of this year, US$339 billion was spent at point of sale or withdrawn
from ATMs in Asia Pacific using VISA cards. Visa Asia Pacific's Internet address is www.visa-asia.com.