This initiative of BNP Paribas tries to meet customers' needs and respondi to new business practices. Today, 31% of bank cards in France have a contactless payment feature, nearly 12% of merchants accept contactless payments, and major retailers are gearing up to accept this payment option.

KIX is encouraging these new practices by enabling customers to pay for purchases via their mobile phones at merchants who accept contactless payments. It offers the speed and simplicity of a contactless payment, combined with the advantages of a mobile phone. Housed in the phone's SIM card, KIX has the same level of security as a bank card. This app is available on Windows Phone 8 and Android mobile phones, for BNP Paribas customers with a BNP Paribas Mobile, Orange, Sosh, or SFR mobile plan.

To use KIX to make payments of up to €20, simply place the mobile phone less than 4 centimetres away from the front of the contactless payment terminal. For payments of €20 or more, customers also enter their PIN number on their mobile phone. This new version of KIX enables payments of up to €300, with a monthly ceiling of €1,500. It also gives the ability to block the app if the mobile phone is lost or stolen.

To subscribe to KIX, the customer must have a mobile phone and an NFC SIM card compatible with this app, as well as an appropriate mobile phone plan with a partner operator. Customers can subscribe to this service in any of the 2,200 BNP Paribas branches or on www.bnpparibas.net. Their PIN code will be sent to them by post. They can then download KIX from their phone's app store, and then activate it.