ACI Worldwide (Nasdaq: ACIW), a leading international provider of payment systems, today announced that it has joined the Payments Council, the organization that sets the strategy for payments in the U.K. As an Associate Member, ACI will bring the benefit of its global presence to the Payments Council, and will be able to expand its work with key players in the payments industry.
The Payments Council ensures that U.K. payment systems and services meet the need of users, payment service providers and the wider economy. As an Associate Member, ACI is able to bring its wealth of market experience, from nearly 30 years in U.K. payments, to help drive change. ACI works with 19 of the world's 20 largest banks, including all of the 'big four' in the U.K., and has more than 800 financial institutions, processors and retailers as customers worldwide, reinforcing its importance in payments around the world.
ACI Worldwide has been part of many of the changes that have taken place in payments in the U.K. in recent years, not least the launch of the Faster Payments scheme in 2008 and, before that, the migration to EMV. In addition, for almost 20 years ACI has been part of the Standard 70 Maintenance Group of The UK Cards Association, which defines all aspects of the interface between merchant terminals and systems, and POS acquiring systems - David Barton, product architect at ACI has held this role for 12 years.
Bernard Delahaye, vice president, strategy and planning at ACI Worldwide (EMEA), said: "The Payments Council is driving the future of payments in the UK, including developing innovative payment alternatives and promoting the benefits of various payment methods to the wider economy through the Pay YOUR Way campaign. We are delighted to join this strategic industry body in such an important market."
Gary Hocking, Acting Chief Executive of the Payments Council, said "For the Payments Council to continue to deliver change successfully, we must keep our 'finger on the pulse' of what is happening in the industry. It is therefore important for us that organizations such as ACI, alongside the U.K.'s financial institutions, are involved with the work we do."