First Data Becomes First Payment Processor to Offer All Major Alternative Payment Brands

First Data, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment services, and CardinalCommerce Corporation, the worldwide leading provider of payment brands, have joined forces to bring First Data merchants a complete eCommerce solution for authentication programs and alternative payment brands.

Through this agreement, First Data becomes the first payment processor with the ability to offer all major alternative payment brands to their 100,000+ eCommerce merchants. This solution provides one of the fastest, easiest technical integration for merchants, backed up with 24/7/365 support from CardinalCommerce. In addition, First Data will offer payer authentication service that leverages online payment verification offered by both Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode programs.

"First Data is focused on developing robust and secure Software-as-a-Service payment solutions for our expanding online merchant community," said Souheil Badran, senior vice president and general manager, First Data eCommerce Solutions. "We’re pleased to add the CardinalCommerce established solution to our scalable suite of services. Our goal is to offer a positive return on our merchants’ investment while continually mitigating their fraud risk."

Now First Data merchants will have access to the most comprehensive online payment options available in the marketplace to increase sales and average order values, minimize fraud and the costs of order acceptance, and to help customers make eCommerce purchases with confidence. Through the First Data Global Gateway service, merchants will be able to receive the benefits of Verified by Visa™and MasterCard® SecureCode™, as well as PayPal™, Google™Checkout, and more.

"Cardinal is extremely excited to work with a company as distinguished in their field as First Data," said Mike Keresman, CEO, CardinalCommerce. "We’re thrilled that the world’s largest payment processor has confidence in our Cardinal Centinel® technology and we look forward to assisting their aggressive growth strategies in the eCommerce sector."

About First Data
First Data is a global technology leader in information commerce. The company processes transaction data of all kinds, harnesses the power of that data and delivers innovations in secure infrastructure, intelligence and insight for its customers. With operations in 37 countries, First Data serves more than 5.4 million merchant locations and more than 2,000 card issuers and their customers. It powers the global economy by making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses around the world to buy goods and services using virtually any form of payment. The company’s portfolio of services and solutions includes merchant transaction processing services; credit, debit, private-label, gift, payroll and other prepaid card offerings; fraud protection and authentication solutions; electronic check acceptance services through TeleCheck; as well as Internet commerce and mobile payment solutions. The company’s STAR Network offers PIN-secured debit acceptance at 2.1 million ATM and retail locations. Through First Data’s centers of excellence, such as security, analytics, customer loyalty and mobile payments, it offers data-driven commerce solutions for customers around the globe. For more information, visit www.firstdata.com.

About CardinalCommerce
CardinalCommerce Corporation is the global leader in enabling authenticated payments, secure transactions and alternative payment brands for both eCommerce and mobile commerce. Cardinal Centinel®* enables payment brands such as Verified by Visa, MasterCard® SecureCode®, PayPal™, eBillme™, Bill Me Later®, Google™Checkout, MyECheck, NACHA® Secure Vault Payments (SVP), Ukash™, eLayaway™, Ebates™, Amazon Payments™, RevolutionCard™, and more to a network of over 30,000 merchants and merchant service providers. Our mobile commerce platform, branded Cardinal MAX™, makes it simple for retailers to sell and market products through the mobile channel. Cardinal’s proprietary and easily deployable technology provides consumers, merchants, credit/debit card issuers, and processors the ability to conduct authenticated Internet, wireless and mobile transactions safely and securely. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, with facilities in the United States, Europe and Africa, Cardinal services a worldwide customer base. For more information, visit www.cardinalcommerce.com