Mobile payment platform Square has made its first move beyond North American borders by launching its mobile credit card reader and tablet POS register apps in Japan.
The US company has partnered with Sumitomo Mitsui Card Corporation (SMCC) for its Japanese venture. SMCC has been credited with successfully introducing Visa to Japan.
Jack Dorsey, Square CEO and co-founder says: "I am honored to introduce Square to a country with a rich history of design, innovation and tradition. Square shares the same values and attention to detail in our products. Our tools are made to enable business owners to create a delightful, seamless experience for their customers."
Despite the fearsome local competition from the likes of Sony, NTT Docomo and KDDI, Square will be hoping to emulate its success in North America where it is currently processing over $15 billion in annualised payments from a four million-strong user base.
Square rival PayPal last year announced a strategic alliance with Japanese Internet company, Softbank, to be the first to bring a mobile payment system to small businesses in Japan.
The firm says that 2700 Softbank stores now prominently display the PayPal Here reader and "thousands" of small businesses have embraced it.