Global credit card vendor Visa International is understood to have taken a strategic investment in the Dublin-based mobile domain registrar DotMobi (.mobi). The total value of the investment has not been disclosed.
The investment is an important statement of intent by the credit card giant to immerse itself fully in the emerging mobile commerce (m-commerce) sector and it will see Visa sit on the board of DotMobi alongside 13 of the world’s largest software and mobile phone makers.
“As always, our goal is simply to make the internet mobile,” said DotMobi chief executive Niall Edwards. “The addition of Visa to our company and to our board is the next step in making that a reality.”
The DotMobi organisation, which now boasts 450,000 registered .mobi domains, is backed by a consortium of tech industry giants including Microsoft, HP, Vodafone, 3, the GSM Association, Orange, Nokia, Samsung and Sun. It set up its headquarters in Dublin just over a year ago.
“Visa’s strategic alliance with DotMobi puts us at the forefront of working with mobile operators and technology providers to develop practical and achievable best practices for the delivery of enhanced mobile commerce services,” said Patrick Gauthier, senior vice-president, innovation, Visa International.
“This alliance, coupled with our recently launched Visa mobile platform, positions Visa to advance the adoption of mobile services that provide convenience to consumers and value for those within the delivery chain.”
By John Kennedy
