Halo Dot set to boost financial inclusion

Synthesis Software Technologies, an innovative software and consulting company, has announced the launch of Halo Dot, the tap-on-phone contactless payment solution. Halo Dot is the first of its kind in Africa and allows any merchant to instantly receive payments.

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Customers simply need to tap their cards on the merchant’s phone to make payment.

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The solution opens the door to informal retailers, spaza stores and street vendors to accept a safer alternative to cash and give them the opportunity to accept card transactions. They will no longer be blocked by the cost of point of sale (POS) devices and the maintenance that can come with it.

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“With Halo Dot, informal traders can simply use their current phones to transact. The high adoption of mobile phones across Africa means the technology will be accessible to everyone that owns an Android device. The ease of use and accessibility of the app will appeal to all vendors, from informal traders to small and medium enterprises. Fundamentally, this will reinvent payments across the continent,” said Pierre Aurel, Product Manager, Synthesis.

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“There is no need for fixed telephone lines as it relies on mobile connectivity from the phone or Wi-Fi. From a security perspective, it is as safe as traditional POS terminals with none of the cost or infrastructure limitations. And the contactless method is far safer and hygienic than using cash.”

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In collaboration with Nedbank, the solution was launched with approval from Visa and MasterCard.

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Contactless tap transactions are limited to R500 (US$30) making it ideal for micro-transactions. For larger amounts, customers will need to enter a PIN. This functionality will be released in the next phase.

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“Halo Dot will reinvent POS in the same way speed points did when they first came out. It only requires the merchant to have a bank account. Simply enter the Rand value and have the customer tap on the phone. This is the convenience and inclusion we have been waiting for and, with Halo Dot, the time has arrived,” said Aurel.