US bank Wachovia has contracted with e-payments outfit TSYS for the provision of payments processing services to support its re-entry into the consumer credit card business.
Wachovia decided to re-enter the US credit card market as a direct issuer after terminating a card agreement with MBNA following Bank of America's acquisition of the credit card firm last year.
The bank will use the vendor's TS2 payment-processing engine and portfolio management services to launch its initial card programme in early summer.
Steven Boehm, president of card services, Wachovia, says: "Our company has decided to re-enter the card-issuing business to provide Wachovia customers with outstanding products and stellar customer service. TSYS is a company we can build a trusting relationship with."