Visa Says Mobile Payments Unveiling is Coming Next Week | Tricia Duryee | eMoney | AllThingsD

Visa is planning to provide details next week about its mobile payments strategy. In recent months Visa has invested in Square, which provides an accessory allowing an iPhone to accept credit card payments.

Earlier in 2011 Visa acquired PlaySpan, which handles transactions for virtual goods in online games, digital media and social networks.

Visa also recently has launched a partnership with Gap, which is using Visa’s platform to alert customers by text message to discounts on jeans and other apparel when they are in the vicinity of a store. Visa is also opening up that platform to other retailers.

All of those elements suggest a strategy that includes the ability to send discount offers based on location, support smaller and independent retailers and also support online payments for virtual goods.

Those elements alone suggest support for small business retail payments, online digital goods as well as location-based advertising and promotion.

Visa Says Mobile Payments Unveiling is Coming Next Week