MasterCard Looks To Attract Mobile, Mashup Devs 
MasterCard Worldwide appears to be taking a page from Apple’s successful iPhone approach to commercial developers, with its decision to provide more open access to its long-proprietary APIs for payment and data services. MasterCard is also launching a developer portal, to help devs learn, design, test and launch applications.
MasterCard Worldwide appears to be taking a page from Apple’s successful iPhone approach to commercial developers, with its decision to provide more open access to its long-proprietary APIs for payment and data services. MasterCard is also launching a developer portal, to help devs learn, design, test and launch applications.
The ‘open’ APIs to MasterCard’s payment and data services will allow third–party devs and ISVs worldwide to create new e-commerce and mobile payment applications.
“We are excited about tapping into the ingenuity of software developers around the globe to help create the next generation of game-changing payment applications,” said Josh Peirez, Chief Innovation Officer, MasterCard Worldwide, in a statement. “We feel this will unleash innovation within our industry.”
MasterCard’s Wide ‘Open’ World
for eCommerce, Mobile Integration Devs
Before MasterCard opened its APIs, outside devs who wanted to use MasterCard’s payment technology, they were forced to get a merchant agreement, set up the payment system and make the consumer enter data each time, which greatly limited the potential. With the new ‘open APIs,” devs no longer suffer such restrictions.
Some of the application ideas floating around for how devs might use the MasterCard APIs include:
- embedding a payment feature in virtual games,
- launching e-commerce apps on social networks such as Twitter or Facebook, or
- assembling ‘mashup’ applications by combining multiple data sources;
- integrating with enterprise ERP and CRM systems for more accurate and timely payment processing,
- creating mobile eWallet applications,
- building an app that sends a text message (to a PC, laptop or mobile device) to the card’s owner before a purchase is made.
“We are excited about tapping into the ingenuity of software developers around the globe to help create the next generation of game-changing payment applications.”
Josh Peirez
Chief Innovation Officer, MasterCard Worldwide
MasterCard’s move to release Open APIs is the first initiative from what the company calls, MasterCard Labs, which the company described as “a new global R&D arm dedicated to bringing innovative payment solutions to market with greater speed than ever before.”
MasterCard officials also said the company will launch a developer portal, to make it easier to learn more about the APIs, as well as design, test and launch applications. The portal will provide devs access to technical documentation, software development kits (SDKs), sample source code, reference guides, and “virtual sandboxes” for testing new and innovative applications through the portal, according to company officials. Additionally, a developer forum to spur collaboration between MasterCard engineers and developers will also be part of the portal, the company said.
The open APIs for payment services and data are likely just the beginning. MasterCard official said the portal will make available some 20 other platforms and services to devs, providing additional functions and enhancements.
