VEON launched its new personal internet platform in Italy in November 2016 using data analytics and artificial intelligence to offer users a variety of new, personalized and contextual services from entertainment to financial services. The global cooperation with Wirecard will continue to grow as VEON expands into new markets throughout 2017 – including Russia, Georgia and Bangladesh.

AJ Hanna, Chief Mobile Financial Services Officer at VEON, said: “We want the customer experience on VEON to be exciting, enriching and extremely user-friendly. That means partnering with the best processing and payments providers, like Wirecard, so that users can top-up and pay for services quickly and easily.”

Jan Marsalek, Chief Operating Officer at Wirecard, added: “We are delighted to work with one of the largest technology innovators and mobile network operators on this state-of-the-art mobile payment solution. Easy mobile payments are essential in the fast growing frontier markets. With our new airtime top-up solution and third party payment functionality, consumers will be able to upload and spend money more efficiently than ever before.”