Offers are Where Mobile Wallet Value Lies, Says Isis

The value of a mobile wallet is in the data-driven offer and coupon systems that allow consumers to save money, and "Isis does not directly deliver any of that value," says Jim Stapleton, Isis chief sales officer. That isn't to say Isis believes it does not add value, simply that the value comes as Isis is an enabler for its partners. 


Isis also emphasizes that it is a partner for banks, not a competitor. "At Isis, we're very much a platform provider for the banks," said Stapleton. 


Of course, not every contestant hopes to build a new business on offers, advertising, analytics or loyalty mechanisms. PayPal has been in the payments business, and wants to extend from online to offline. Square, Intuit and Sage also believe the revenue model is in handling payment transactions. 

Worldwide mobile payment transaction values will surpass $171.5 billion in 2012, a 61.9 percent increase from 2011 values of $105.9 billion, according to Gartner. 

The number of mobile payment users will reach 212.2 million in 2012, up from 160.5 million in 2011.

"We expect global mobile transaction volume and value to average 42 percent annual growth between 2011 and 2016, and we are forecasting a market worth $617 billion with 448 million users by 2016," says Sandy Shen, research director at Gartner.