Wipit Named Winner in Ninth Annual Paybefore Awards

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Jan 16, 2015, 08:00 ET

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Paybefore has selected Wipit as a 2015 Paybefore Awards winner in both the "The One To Watch" category as well as the "Gotta Have Mobile App" category. For nine years, Paybefore Awards has conferred the most prestigious recognition of excellence in the worldwide prepaid, mobile and emerging payments industry. The awards are presented annually by Paybefore, whose publications are the leading source of industry information for emerging payments executives.

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"Wipit is focused on making payments convenient, safe and accessible to all. We are delighted to be recognized for our innovation in mobile payments and money services," said Richard Kang, CEO of Wipit, Inc.

Wipit was selected by a panel of five industry experts who served as judges for this year's competition, which—once again—included entries from around the world.

"This year's Paybefore Awards have demonstrated once again that payments companies are committed to driving out the inefficiencies of cash and checks, while also increasing value for clients and end users," said Loraine DeBonis, Paybefore editor-in-chief and chair of the judging panel. "We're proud to recognize the contributions of Wipit to advancing electronic payments."

"Some may think there's nothing new in the world of payments, but the outstanding winners in Paybefore Awards prove that's not so," added Marilyn Bochicchio, Paybefore's CEO. "Emerging payments is packed with opportunity to make a difference for consumers, governments and businesses. And, the companies and programs we recognize through Paybefore Awards are outstanding examples of what can be done when creativity intersects with technology and a deep understanding of unmet needs. We tip our hats to the winners and all those who are making a difference."

Wipit's Sprint Money Express program pairs a personalized prepaid debit card with a suite of high demand financial services such as international money transfer and bill payment, accessible in Wipit's mobile wallet app. Consumers can load their account by visiting a local cash reload location, via direct deposit or bank transfer, or by mobile check deposit. The available account balance funds all in-app financial service transactions as well as ATM withdrawals and signature payment transactions made with the account's prepaid debit card. Wipit's Boost Mobile Wallet program offers a similar product to Sprint's prepaid Boost Mobile customers.

Wipit now will vie for Best-in-Category distinction, which will be announced during the Paybefore Awards ceremony on Feb. 24 at the All Payments Expo. Visitors to Paybefore.com will have a chance to vote on Best in Category through Jan. 28. The outcome of this vote (counted as one-sixth of the total) will be combined with the five judges' picks to determine Best-in-Category honorees.

About MasterCard Worldwide: MasterCard, http://www.mastercard.com/, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About Wipit: Wipit provides integrated mobile payments, financial services and prepaid debit card convenience to underbanked consumers. The company has partnered with Sprint, a leading wireless service provider to launch the revolutionary, co-branded Boost Mobile Wallet and Sprint Money Express mobile wallet service. Wipit has commercial partnerships with and has been invested in by Euronet Worldwide (NASDAQ: EEFT) and H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB), as well as Core Innovation Capital. For more information, visit http://www.wipit.me.

About Paybefore: Paybefore is the leading information provider to prepaid, mobile and emerging payments industry professionals, offering the latest news, commentary and analysis. Paybefore's family of industry publications includes: Paybefore.com; Pay News™; Pay Gov™; Pay Week™; Pay Op-Ed™; Pay Magazine™, a biannual print publication featuring in-depth articles on the opportunities, challenges and trends in the global payments industry; and the only industry directory, Pay Connect™ buyer's guide, available online and in print. Visit us at www.paybefore.com.