Can Green Dot compete with Retail Banks as it beta-tests a mobile banking app?

Green Dot announced this week the debut of a beta version of its mobile consumer checking account – dubbed GoBank – thrusting the prepaid card company into retail banking.

Green Dot has been diversifying its business through several acquisitions and in this latest move is looking to leverage the negative sentiment and fee fatigue that many consumers have towards traditional banking institutions.

The GoBank checking app targets smartphone users and is FDIC – Insured. It leverages Green Dot’s extensive ATM network and includes optional fees, as well as a bevy of mobile features, such as remote check deposit. One feature, called “Ask The Fortune Teller”, is geared toward encouraging users to save money – drawing comparisons to tools from nontraditional banks like Simple and leaving the retail banking community to wonder if this is enough to secure a seat in an already crowded market.

In an interview with AmericanBanker, Green Dot CEO Steve Streit points out that this product is an FDIC – Insured bank account – which differentiates it from the prepaid Bluebird card from Walmart and American Express, which is issued and backed by American Express Travel Related Services Co., Inc. What does this mean for Bluebird, Simple, or other third party options?

Streit, CEO of Green Dot will be speaking side by side with American Express at this year’s Prepaid Expo (as well as executives from MasterCard and InComm). With the race on to capture the wallet power of consumers at a fever pitch, you can expect a lively discussion about mobile strategy and what opportunities exists for traditional prepaid players in the larger payments ecosystem. 

Check out the full article americanbanker.com here.


 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ryan Geswell is a New Media Analyst in the Finance Division at IIR USA with a background in Marketing and Media. He can be reached at rgeswell@iirusa.com.

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Predictions on Apple as the Wallet War Continues to Pick up Steam

Industry insiders scrutinize Apple’s every movement: Most recently up for debate was Apple’s wallet debut with Passbook, as well as the revelation that the iPhone 5 would not support NFC.

Apple plays its cards pretty close to the chest, but one industry analyst predicts that the company is revving up for the mobile payments race in a big, big way.

According to Investors.com, Dan Perlin, a RBC Capital analyst, predicts that Apple is likely to launch a closed-loop loyalty program dubbed iPoints. Perlin thinks Apple will be able to leverage the 400 million card accounts already on file with iTunes to build a payments and loyalty program.

NFC (Photo  nicolasnova)

 “This could give Apple an edge over other emerging mobile payment systems such as Google, Square, and eBay’s PayPal unit,” Perlin told Investors.com.

Apple’s acquisition of AuthenTec in April 2012 suggests that the next generation iPhone, the 5S (set to be released in June) will be equipped with NFC – only adding to the buzz. For more on this story and full article from investor.com click here. 

Do you think Apple is planning a major entry into the payments space this year? Is this Apple’s attempt to try the same closed-loop, loyalty-based system Starbucks has created? 

At Prepaid Expo this March, there will be plenty of time to debate these new movements in the mobile payments war, including insights from Patrick Gauthier, Head of Product Strategy & Business Operations, Retail Services at PayPal and an on-stage debate on the future of the payments ecosystem with American Express, Green Dot, MasterCard and InComm.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ryan Geswell is a New Media Analyst in the Finance Division at IIR USA with a background in Marketing and Media. He can be reached at rgeswell@iirusa.com.

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