NXP Strengthens FeliCa Ecosystem to Advance Mobile Payment and Ticketing Experiences in Japan
Tokyo, Japan – February 21, 2019 – NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:NXPI), today announced it has collaborated with FeliCa Networks, Inc. to strengthen the mobile payment and ticketing ecosystem as part of Japan’s preparation for worldwide events in the future. NXP’s new GlobalPlatform® based solution, PN81 series supports and integrates FeliCa, EMVCo, mobile transit MIFARE in a single solution to allow smartphones and other mobile devices to conveniently bridge mobile payments in Japan and across borders, and feature mobile ticketing, access control, and loyalty programs.
“With anticipated global events in 2020 and beyond, people are looking for ways to manage crowds, reduce lines and bring more convenience to travelers,” said Rafael Sotomayor, SVP and general manager of secure transactions and identification at NXP. “The NXP PN81 series with FeliCa support features near field communication (NFC), embedded secure element (eSE) technology, and supports worldwide security standards such as GlobalPlatform to help unlock the potential of secure seamless transaction and access use cases that many people can appreciate.”
Until now, OEMs have implemented NFC and embedded Secure Element (eSE) solutions tailored to the Japanese market, resulting in a limited global compatibility of their devices. Commencing with the PN81 generation, NXP’s solutions integrate FeliCa compatibility to enable smartphone and wearable OEMs to use the same NFC and eSE components across regional borders and networks. That allows Japanese consumers to access global NFC applications, while worldwide travelers can securely perform FeliCa payment and ticketing services with their devices.
“FeliCa Networks and NXP share the vision to provide global travelers and mobile phone owners in Japan an integrated contactless experience for payment, ticketing, and other popular use cases towards 2020 and beyond,” said Tomoharu Hikita, President and CEO of FeliCa Networks. “NXP’s PN81 series is the first chipset certified by the Mobile FeliCa Chipset Certification Program launched in 2018 and would also support the continuing evolution of FeliCa Networks’ Mobile FeliCa platform and solution for better security, utility and performance.”
The collaboration with FeliCa Networks underscores NXP’s leadership in mobile payment and ticketing in Asia, following a number of NXP’s strategic collaborations that support an increasingly mobile lifestyle. NXP technology enables a rapidly growing number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), popular manufacturers of smartphones and public transport operators seeking to integrate secure NFC applications.
