Line adopts secure payment service

Social media app Line has teamed up with CyberSource to enhance the security and convenience of it mobile payment service Line Pay.

CyberSource, a subsidiary of Visa, is one of the world’s largest providers of eCommerce payment management services. The strategic partnership with Line Corporation will add payment and fraud management services for Line Pay.

“Via CyberSource’s global payment gateway, Line will be able to process online payments from multiple card brands and issuers, as well as certain alternative payment methods,” the company said in a statement.

“These solutions enable Line to advance their business globally in a scalable and secure manner.”

Since Japanese company Line’s launch in 2011, the service has grown globally across 230 countries and regions. As Line Corporation’s core business platform, the app helped the company obtain an international presence by consistently rolling out and expanding services, integrating various social elements in its app features – including Line stickers, Line family apps, Line Game and Line camera. The mobile messaging service app had 181 million monthly active users as at January 2015.

“With global smartphone penetration per capita expected to increase more than three times by 2017 from that in 2011, we recognise that there is great opportunity for growth in the mobile industry,” said Takeshi Idezawa, Line Corporation’s COO.

“We are constantly looking to work with partners with an established worldwide presence and vast experience so we can provide quality service to today’s digitally-savvy consumers. With our entry into the mobile payments market, we are now able to empower our customers with more choices and flexibility in online payments. On top of that, we are also able to protect their interests with CyberSource’s payment security expertise. We strongly believe this will be pivotal in helping us accelerate our global growth.”

In addition to global payment services, Line will also have access to secure payment acceptance and fraud management services via the CyberSource payment management platform. This means Line will be able to provide payment security, with users’ sensitive payment data residing in CyberSource’s secure data centers, as well as process a wider spectrum of payment methods.