Mastercard and PayInit AG join forces to bring interoperable, global P2P payments to Switzerland

Mastercard today announced a joint initiative with PayInit AG, the open Swiss industry infrastructure for global card-based P2P transfers, and technology partner Opentech, to bring interoperable, secure and globally connected person-to-person payments to consumers in Switzerland.

PayInit AG, founded by Viseca Payment Services SA and Cornèr Bank Ltd., brings Swiss issuers together around an open, shared infrastructure for scheme- compliant, card-based P2P payments. Powered by certified technology from Opentech through its OpenPay Send platform, the infrastructure enables issuers to embed a seamless P2P experience directly into their own digital channels, while Mastercard provides the global card rails and money movement capabilities that help extend the service beyond local boundaries.

The solution brings together two Mastercard capabilities that are central to the PayInit experience:

Mastercard Move, Mastercard’s portfolio of global money movement capabilities, helps enable fast, secure, and transparent transfers across markets, payment types and borders.

Mastercard Credential Services help simplify the sender experience by enabling transfers using familiar recipient identifiers such as a mobile phone number or email address.

Together, Mastercard Move and Mastercard Credential Services provide the global reach, scalability and simplicity that underpin the PayInit experience. Through PayInit AG’s platform, participating issuers can embed interoperable P2P services into their own customer journeys without each bank having to build and maintain a dedicated integration, reducing complexity and limiting the impact on existing customer-facing applications. Rather than replacing domestic solutions, the initiative is designed to complement them by using global card rails to extend Swiss P2P services beyond local boundaries. The combined approach is designed to make Switzerland a leading example of how modern P2P infrastructure can be delivered within a locally governed industry framework, supporting issuer choice and broad ecosystem participation.

How the service works

Consumers can send money directly from their banking app using a recipient's mobile phone number or email address, without needing to know card or account details. The payment is routed through participating issuers via the PayInit infrastructure and enabled by Mastercard's global money movement capabilities, helping connect Swiss users to recipients both domestically and internationally.

Daniela Massaro, Country Manager Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Mastercard, said:

“Swiss consumers today expect to send money as easily as they send a message, whether to someone next door or across borders. Mastercard Move and Mastercard Credential Services bring that simplicity directly into the apps consumers already trust. We are proud to support PayInit AG and the broader Swiss issuer community as they shape a P2P experience that is both globally connected and locally governed.”

Michael Walther, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PayInit AG, said:

“With PayInit AG, Swiss issuers can rely on a shared, open and scheme-compliant infrastructure to bring global card-based P2P transfers to their customers. The platform is designed to make the rollout of modern P2P services more efficient, while allowing each issuer to retain trust, control and the direct relationship with its customers.”