Smart Money named the Best Operator-led Mobile Money Program at the Connected World Forum!

Smart Money powers country's first cashless parking system

For the second straight year, Smart Money – the pioneering mobile payments platform of wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) – was named the Best Operator-led Mobile Money Program at the Connected World Forum in Dubai. Smart Money was recognized for being the most effective and easy-to-use mobile money program among five finalists from around the world. It was the only Philippine entry to receive an award during the forum, which brought together the world’s trailblazers in mobile lifeline services.

Smart’s flagship mobile health project – Secured Health Information Network and Exchange (SHINE) – was also nominated for Best Development of a Pilot Mobile Health Project.

“Smart is happy to bring honor to the country once more,” said Smart’s Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando Vea. “We thank the Connected World Forum for recognizing our continuing efforts to enable Filipinos from all walks of life to carry out their financial transactions in a fast, convenient, and secure manner. This award inspires us to think of more ways to improve the lives of Filipinos through mobile technology.”

Smart Money was chosen over big names in the mobile money space – Kenya’s Safaricom (which launched the hugely successful M-PESA in 2007), Vodacom Tanzania, India’s Airtel Money, and Zimbabwe’s EcoCash.

“This international recognition helps strengthen our commitment to provide Filipinos with affordable, accessible, and relevant mobile money services. We are steadfast in our advocacy to promote financial inclusion and help more Filipinos enhance the way they live and carry out business,” said Noel Lorenzana, Smart Executive Vice President and Head of Wireless Consumer Division.

Launched in 2001, Smart Money allows Smart’s 52 million subscribers to transfer money electronically to any Smart subscriber, do cashless shopping online and in more than 32 million MasterCard merchants worldwide, pay bills using their mobile phone, and reload their Smart prepaid accounts.

The multi-awarded mobile money platform also enables users to link their Smart Money account to their accounts in major banks (like BDO, Metrobank, and BPI), receive remittances from more than 95,000 partner-agents all over the world, and withdraw cash from over 10,000 automated teller machines here and abroad.