The MEDAL Facility Program
The MEDAL Facility Program
The MEDAL Facility Program (Merchant Expansion through Digital Acceptance and Liquidity) was launched in February 2021 in partnership with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) project, “Digittances” to expand the network of merchants accepting digital payments, increase digital liquidity, and promote its use by mobile wallet customers in payments to merchants.
JoPACC’s partnership on this program with GIZ, a strategic partner in the digital financial services market, came in line with JoPACC’s strategy, with one of its pillars focusing on increasing the acceptance and use of digital financial services and enhancing their channels to ensure access to all segments of the Jordanian society and increase financial inclusion in the Kingdom.
The program kicked off with a call for applications for participation from licensed mobile payment service providers (mPSPs), and two were selected based on predefined criteria; Gadha and UWallet. The selected mobile payment service providers worked to increase the acceptance of payment via the QR code by merchants in Jordan, enabling interoperability between different types of wallets.
Based on the requirements of the program, the selected participants worked on increasing the number of merchants who accept QR code payments based on a predefined target number and ensured the active usage of this payment tool. They also collaborated with distributors, retailers, and wholesalers to adopt mobile money and accept merchant payments through mobile wallets. Participating mobile payment service providers had set a merchant use case enrichment plan.
In addition to allowing and encouraging the acceptance of payment via the QR code through mobile wallets, the program included setting a comprehensive publicity plan and raising awareness of QR code payments, and marketing the service throughout the Kingdom, targeting those who are not financially included. It is worth noting that in 2019, JoPACC launched the criteria for accepting QR code payments in cooperation with the Central Bank of Jordan and the financial sector and encouraged companies that provide mobile payment services to launch the service, which is now provided by all eight mobile wallet companies.
This outreach program concluded at the end of 2021 with each partner providing a report on the outcomes and impact of the initiative. To read the report:
