AUSTRALIAN DIGITAL FINANCES PLATFORM RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL FINTECH AWARD ONE YEAR AFTER LAUNCHING
Just one year after its grand launch at Perth’s Optus Stadium, Australia’s fintech digital finances platform Ziksu has been awarded as the Most Innovative Contactless Payment Solution (APAC) 2022 by an international finance magazine.The annual fintech award is part of ten wealth and finance award categories hosted by UK-based, Wealth and Finance International magazine and is judged by a panel of researchers on several criteria. These include, demonstrated expertise in a given area, dedication to client fulfilment and noteworthy performance or commitment to innovation.Ziksu Founder, CTIO, Karthik Srinivasan said he was proud to be recognised in the global arena.“It’s fantastic to be recognised for financial services innovation within the APAC region…we are excited to offer Ziksu’s ‘Scan n Pay’ as the first truly contactless payment method instore in Australia, Mr Srinivasan said.“It enables customers to manage transactions through their mobile device, including entering a pin number to verify their identity, which has been highlighted as critical during the pandemic.“Ziksu provides an instore digital solution to the ongoing transaction problems faced by Australian businesses.”As the first Australian fintech to be recognised as a financial institution, Ziksu incorporates a QR code and true contactless mobile payment services with a digital transaction account and real-time funds settlement. Mr Srinivasan said the Ziksu app would also provide equality in financial services for Australian consumers.“Australia’s payment system has remained unchanged for more than three decades and millions of small businesses have been burdened with including ongoing terminal costs, high account keeping fees, waiting up to three days for funds to appear in their account and loss of business due to general hardware failures,” he said.Small businesses have laboured under the restrictions of cash or EFTPOS payment landscape in Australia and a ‘Tap n Pay’ option leading many to pass on the high service fees or implement price hikes to consumers. The heavy reliance on a payment terminal has also made it a single point of failure for any business when natural disasters or terminal disruptions occur.Ziksu’s ‘Scan n Pay’ QR code product is a genuine third payment option for Australia’s small business and consumers, instore. It combines transactional banking with a digital transaction account and truly contactless payments for both business and personal customers within the scope of Anti Money Laundering/Counter Terrorism Funding (AML/CTF) regulations and compliance.‘Scan n Pay’ is 100 percent mobile and user-friendly, operating on any Android or iOS mobile device via the Ziksu app and is the first of its kind to utilise the New Payments Platform (NPP) whose original shareholder is the Reserve Bank of Australia. It enables the user to send and receive money through the app and has been developed as per the NPP QR Code Standard to support a consistent payment experience.Ziksu has further developed static and dynamic QR Codes across several use cases mainly for instore e-commerce, invoices, and P2P scenarios. It’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and allows transactions to settle in real time across more than 100 banks, and financial institutions connected to the platform.QR codes have already become widely accepted throughout Australia due to compulsory COVID-19 contact tracing and have been popular in APAC countries for many years. Australian consumers will also enjoy QR codes with no delays or wait times, additional budgeting tools and instant digital transactions with ‘Scan n Pay’.Accounts open in less than two minutes and five minutes respectively including Know Your Customer checks and identity verification. Ziksu is a regulated entity and conducts in-app identity verification of individuals and businesses to safeguard the integrity of the platform.Consumers can access the product by downloading the Ziksu app and once the identity has been verified, the user is provided with a digital transaction account, which includes a BSB, account number, PayID and unique QR code. With the initial commencement of PayTo services from NPPA, Ziksu is currently developing features in its Scan n Pay product to further revolutionise account-to-account payments and aims to transform the instore payment experience for a customer.PayTo is a new digital way for merchants and businesses to initiate real-time payments from their customers’ bank accounts. The platform will also incorporate Open Banking, which will further enhance its product-offering.Open Banking will enable businesses and consumers to pull financial information, based on consent, and will enable Ziksu customers to link all debit/credit accounts, providing a 360-degree view of all their finances on one digital platformThese digital enhancements contribute to Ziksu’s overall mission of bolstering Australia’s small businesses through improved cashflow. Ziksu has a global outlook and is on track to realising its strategic plan, and developing a third product, which is expected to be taken to the international market in early 2023.
For further information please contactRhonda Malkin,Digital Content/Copywriter1300 194 578 / media@ziksu.com