Visa and Groupe BPCE to develop innovative payment and banking experiences for fans of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024

September 18, 2019
  • Visa plans to deliver fan experiences in partnership with its clients and partners across the globe and is pleased to announce Groupe BPCE as its first French partner for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024
     
  • Groupe BPCE, Premium Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, is focused on helping Visa deliver an unforgettable experience for Olympic and Paralympic fans attending the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, through its subsidiary Natixis Payments, 
     
  • As part of their partnership, Visa and Groupe BPCE aspire to offer Olympic and Paralympic fans a seamless mass transit experience across France

Visa (NYSE:V), the Official Payment Technology Partner and Groupe BPCE, Premium Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, will join forces to bring new and innovative payment and banking experiences to fans of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

Together with Groupe BPCE, and through its subsidiary Natixis Payments, Visa will tap into its transit and commerce expertise with the goal of enhancing the experience for Olympic fans as they make purchases online and at Olympic and Paralympic venues, and travel on public transit across France and in the city of Paris.

France, the most popular touristic destination worldwide1, expects to host 13 million2 domestic and international fans during the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Mass transit will be critical for those attending the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

Visa, Groupe BPCE and Natixis Payments are building upon their successful collaboration on FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, where Visa selected Natixis Payments as point-of-sale acquirer and prepaid solutions provider in stadium. Due to their joint effort, fans tapped to pay using contactless payment technology for more than half (51%) of in-stadia purchases– including on contactless cards, smartphones, payment-enabled wristbands and wearable technology during the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ group phase (June 9 – June 20)3.

Visa, Groupe BPCE and Natixis Payments also enabled the use of contactless payment cards that consumers use every day to travel on Dijon’s tramways - the first open payment network in France. Their objective is to continue expanding their open payment program by working with transit operators in other cities across France to simplify and modernize journeys on French transport.

For more than 30 years, Visa has been the exclusive payment services partner of the Olympic Games. The company has continually used that global stage to introduce and implement new payment technologies. In preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, Visa plans to tap into the resident designers and developers within Visa’s global network of Innovation Centers, including the London Innovation Center, to deliver an unforgettable experience for fans.

“Planning for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 helps Visa develop industry leading payments solutions that we hope will redefine fan experiences and leave a legacy of improved digital commerce and mass transit experiences everywhere. We are delighted that Groupe BPCE is our first French partner for the Paris 2024 Games, as we set out to make these Olympic and Paralympic Games a memorable moment for all that attend“, declares Charlotte Hogg, CEO of Visa in Europe.

Jean-Yves Forel, Head of Retail Banking Europe and Paris 2024 Project – Groupe BPCE, continues: “Thanks to the long-term partnership between Visa and BPCE Group, I am happy to have the opportunity to demonstrate our know-how in deploying our innovative and memorable experiences for Olympic and Paralympic fans and leave behind services that will sustainably enhance French citizens’ everyday life.”

To learn more about Visa and its Olympic Games sponsorship, visit https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/sponsorships-promotions/olympics-partnership.html.

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1 World Tourism Organization ranking in 2018
2 French Union of Hostels and Restaurants (UMIH)
3 Press release https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/newsroom/press-releases.releaseId.16466.html

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit https://www.visa.fr, Visa blog Visa Vision, and @Visa_Fr.

Groupe BPCE operates a universal cooperative banking model represented by 9 million cooperative shareholders and is the second-largest banking group in France. Through its 105,000 staff, the group serves over 30 million clients - individuals, professionals, companies, investors and local government bodies – around the world. It operates in the retail banking and insurance fields in France via its two large networks, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne, along with Banque Palatine. With Natixis, it also runs global asset management, corporate & investment banking and payments business lines. The group leverages these extensive capabilities to offer a comprehensive and diversified array of deposits & savings, cash management, financing, insurance and investment solutions. Groupe BPCE is recognized for its financial solidity by four major financial rating agencies: Moody’s (A1, stable outlook), Standard &Poor’s (A+, stable outlook), Fitch (A+, stable outlook) and R&I (A, positive outlook).