Visa has made a strategic investment in Lisnr, an ultrasonic data transmission specialist offering an alternative to NFC and QR code-based mobile payments. The size of the investment has not been disclosed.
Lisnr's ultrasound technology promises to help merchants and payment providers universally accept mobile payment data securely across the customer journey.
In addition to the investment, Visa is now working with Lisnr on commercial beta testing with retailers of the technology, which transfers authentication and payments data through inaudible sound waves.
Eric Allen, CEO, Lisnr, says: "Lisnr is a better method verses alternatives like NFC or QR codes for mobile payments globally, it decentralizes payment scenarios across a wide range of payment moments with advanced data protection, ability to transact at a distance and concurrent transactions - all which are designed to accelerate payments overall."