A tiny flicker of light in the void that the Neteller debacle has created seems to be igniting across the seas. I got the tip over at Jen Leo’s – Wirecard appears to be coming to the rescue to US customers as of Feb 1.
Wirecard is a product of the German based company WirecardBank AG (traded on the Frankfort Stock Exchange and growing steadily since 2000). According the FAQs listed on the site, the Wirecard is an online account of the German bank. After signing up for an account online and depositing at least the required minimum (10 Euros – approximately $13 US) you receive a virtual Mastercard.
The virtual Mastercard can then be used with online merchants who accept Mastercard. You can “charge” (read: load) your virtual Mastercard via bank wire, debit, credit card or cash deposit. The account can also be funded via transfer from another account holder or through bank transfer from a third party.
Wirecard Bank services the needs of the typical online customer and merchant – ranging from retail to travel to auction, including “online games industry”:
Wirecard is a leading Solution Partner for the online games industry. We offer payment solutions tailored precisely for all your needs. From MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) to browser games and mobile games.
I’m a little skeptical – although they say business will be open to US customers come Feb. 1, I’m a bit concerned as to whether the virtual Mastercard would still allow deposits from a US customer to a poker site. That said, I’m game for giving it a shot. It may be our only out.
Basically the same as ePassporte, which is open to US customers right now. Would be nice if the fees were lower than ePassporte, so it’s worth checking out.
I have to wonder if the US Feds won’t be waiting to ambush Wirecard come Feb. 1, now that word is getting out that Wirecard may be offering services to US customers that could include transferring funds to online gaming sites. This may be a case of the door being slammed shut as soon as it is cracked open.
I also noticed a warning in the merchant section of the Wirecard FAQ:
"Please note that the use of the Wirecard logo and the respective marketing materials on websites that contain adult, gambling or betting-related offers is strictly prohibited."
That doesn’t sound like a company that is very online-poker-friendly to me, but we shall see.