The certification means that Symmetrex's clients across the globe can now benefit from prepaid card programmes complete with EMV Chip and PIN applications and authentication services.

Joel Harris, President at Symmetrex, comments "We are already extremely successful in the Americas and Asia Pacific and our extensive infrastructure and experience is attractive to businesses wishing to roll out a prepaid card programme through the MasterCard, Visa and Star networks. EMV compliance allows us to offer the same service in Europe - a market that presents tremendous opportunities. Thanks in part to the already established pay-as-you go mobile `phone culture in Europe, the concept of prepaid cards is growing in popularity much more quickly than in other regions, such as the US."

Symmetrex will soon also be certified to issue EMV compliant prepaid cards on the International Maestro and UK domestic Maestro networks, which will enable the company and its clients to reap further benefits from the growing European market.

Other markets in which the company operates in include Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.