Business E-money Accounts & Virtual Bank Accounts Opening

A Payment Institute (often called financial institution) is a type of payment service provider which was created as a result of the enactment in 2009 of the EU Payment Service Directive (PSD). The Directive set out regulations for all payment service providers that would allow businesses and individuals to make safe, cost efficient, timely payments easily. By removing the legal barriers to the provision of Europe payment services the Directive opened the market up to newcomers in the Europe payments market including payment institutions.

Authorized Payment Institutions

What payment services can PDS authorized payment Institutions provide?

Schedule 1 of the Regulations defines “an authorized payment service” as a service that can:

1. Implement cash deposits in a payment account and all the operations necessary for running the payment account.
2. Implement cash withdrawals from a payment account and all the operations necessary for running a payment account.
3. Implement payment transactions such as fund transfers on a payment account with a payment service provider.
4. Implement a payment transaction where funds are covered by a credit line for a payment service user.
5. An authorized payment institute can issue payment instruments or acquire payment transactions.
6. Conduct fund remittance.
7. Payment services institutions can implement transactions authorized by the payer via any digital device or other form of telecommunication. The payer consents to the transaction via these devices and the payment is also made via the IT system, network operator or telecommunication system that acts as an intermediary only.

What are payment services regulators and payment services regulations?

The payment institutions are regulated and supervised under the same conditions as the Central Bank’s general supervision procedures. The aim is to make sure that all financial service providers are upholding their responsibilities and have strong internal controls and management. The payment institutions must also comply with standard procedures and ensure that all the employees, at every level of the organization are acting with integrity and competence. All authorized payment services providers, whether operating internationally or domestically must abide by best practice standards.

In accordance with the payment services regulations, the authorized payment institutions must have a system implemented which monitors compliance and mitigates risk. The company’s internal policies and procedures must be geared towards ensuring compliance with the regulations and lessening the likelihood of risk.

How is consumer protection implemented?

The Supervision Division oversees the quality of the payment services institutions’ internal control systems, risk management and corporate governance.

How are authorized payment services institutions supervised?

The supervisory process involves multiple approaches to ensure the payment services institute is abiding by regulations and maintaining the high standard of business practices expected of them. Actions taken by the supervision division may include:

• Inspections, either of a general nature or aimed at a specific aspect.
• Review meetings.
• Risk assessment.
• Regular fit-and-proper tests.
• On-going correspondence and contact with the supervised companies.
• Analysis of returns submitted to the Central Bank.

What is a Business Virtual bank Account?

A virtual account system is comprehensive, cost-effective and centralizes funds. Businesses can design a network of shadow accounts (virtual accounts)for their physical bank account. Your client receives the details of your virtual account, pays into the virtual account and the funds are automatically transferred to your physical bank account. You can have a unique virtual account number for each client, business unit or incoming and outgoing transactions. This way you know where the money is coming from yet all funds arrive in your one physical bank account. No physical movement of funds actually happens between the accounts and the comprehensive account network is usually administered by a Virtual Account Management (VAM) solution.

What is a Business Virtual IBAN Account?

With a virtual IBAN you have unique “dummy” International Bank Account Numbers issued by a bank so that incoming funds can be rerouted directly to your “real” IBAN account in a physical bank. A virtual IBAN allows you to do virtual worldwide international business transactions where the funds end up in your physical bank account. As far as the customer is concerned your bank details look like any other regular IBAN. When the customer pays into your virtual IBAN account the funds transfer automatically to your IBAN account in a physical brick and mortar banking establishment associated with the virtual account. You can have several virtual IBAN accounts all collecting funds from various sources but all reroutes to the same physical account. The business can allocate a different virtual IBAN number to each supplier or client. When the electronic payment is made the bank system automatically clears the funds to the correct physical account. By using the virtual IBAN numbers listed on the account statements companies can identify the source of the payment and the manual reconciliation process is simplified.

What are the main features of e-banking?

Electronic banking services are usually available 24/7 and can be accessed from anywhere in the world as long as you have a device and an Internet connection. Other features of e-banking include viewing your account; viewing images of paid cheques; ordering checkbooks; fund transfers; paying bills; applying for a loan or credit card and some electronic banking services offer further services. Your online banking account can have special features like uploading bulk payments for employees or suppliers. You can also download and print your bank statements. Electronic banking usually has a customer support service in the form of a live chat, phone number or e-mail address. You can also get financial alerts, view Forex rates,  set up stop-orders for recurring payments and manage your bank account access and authorization.

What are the different types of e-banking services?

Electronic banking comes in various forms. Internet banking can be done online via your personal computer, laptop or tablet. ATMs also fall into the category of electronic banking as they use a computerized telecommunications system to allow customers to access their bank accounts, withdraw funds and deposit checks without the need for human intervention. Telebanking is a form of e-banking. Customers dial a telebanking number and have access to their account by following the instructions of a user-friendly menu or Interactive Voice Response System. Another form of e-banking is the Smart Card that holds a microprocessor and can “communicate” with a card reader to make financial transactions. For example a reloadable transport card. Even debit cards are a form of e-banking; they function as cash but no cash changes hands at the point of purchase. E-cheques are an electronic version of traditional paper cheques.

The Advantages of E-Money Business  account

In essence, e-money, or electronic money, is a currency that is available only in digital form, and it is transferred electronically, unlike physical money, such as banknotes or coins. Customarily, e-money or e-currency transactions are conducted via the Internet or with the use of smart cards – that are associated with a bank account. Following the stabilization of e-money as a prominent payment instrument, mobiles are becoming a central apparatus for administering e-money transactions. In what follows we will provide a comprehensive review of e-money, highlighting its most conspicuous and more significant advantages while openly discussing its disadvantages.

Advantages

Cost-effectiveness – E-money transactions are carried digitally, through an online payment gateway that secures the identity and payment information of the person whose funds are transferred. When the electronic money company has accounts at the bank – to which or from which money is transferred – the digital transfer of funds is instantaneous, and therefore also highly economical.

Accessibility – E-money can be used globally, and, in fact, it is a leading form of currency to be used in international transactions; it saves the trouble involved in currency exchange; it is highly reliable and has low transaction fees. Sending a cheque would take several days to clear, yet with an online money transaction, funds are transferred directly – even after your bank’s opening hours or during holidays. The growing popularity of e-money, nowadays, has led to digital transformation in banking, motivating banks to compete with one another in order to facilitate account holders with improved deals and reduced transfer costs.

Protection from harm – Carrying a large sum of money always involves the risk of theft or loss. E-money, however, eliminates such possibility, and it is, therefore, a more secure and reliable payment method. Each transaction will necessitate the use of a personal identification number (PIN), as a security measure prior to the completion of any transaction; some additional, yet simple, precautions will ensure the safekeeping of your online account, ascertaining that your card is not misused.

Recording transactions – Each electronic payment transaction has online documentation within the bank’s and the user’s records. A transaction’s record entails all the essential information: names of the parties involved in the transaction along with documentation of the date, time and whereabouts of the transaction. These records are available to users at any given moment.

Disadvantages

Restriction – As a safety measure, banks restrict the number of daily transactions that account holders are permitted to conduct, limit the amount of output and specify an upper limit to the account. While most people may comprehend the logic behind such limitations, others might find it too restricting and inconvenient.

Risk of being hacked – Unavoidably, with any online transaction, your personal information, along with the details of your account and credit card, is exposed over the Internet. Whereas chances of your account being hacked or your identity stolen are smaller when following security rules, these risks do exist. Hackers might employ your stolen identity for purposes of any fraudulent activity or transfer funds from your account, potentially causing severe losses.

False identity – It is currently impossible to verify the identity of a person who enters personally identifiable information, online. As opposed to physical transactions – in which the identity of the one making the transaction can be verified by a photograph, a signature or an official document – digital transactions cannot offer such certainty. Electronic cash transactions rely on cryptographic systems: transferred information is encoded by numeric keys as the details of a transaction “travel” across the web. While such systems are less prone to forgery, the numeric keys are somewhat vulnerable and can be hacked.

Different payment systems – Difficulties might arise when transferring money between different electronic payment methods since, often, they are not synchronized. In facing such a predicament, the use of e-currency exchange services is required; while it provides a convenient solution, it also prolongs the amount of time necessary for the completion of the transaction.

Whereas the disadvantages of using e-money should be taken seriously and evoke thorough consideration, the advantages of electronic money undoubtedly supersede any fault or temporary inconvenience.

The Advantageous Position of Best Virtual Bank Accounts and E-money Business Accounts

There are numerous and significant advantages to virtual bank accounts or e-money accounts over a standard bank account. First, virtual banks enjoy the privileges associated with the characteristics of a virtual domain, i.e. occupying no actual space. Consequently, virtual banks are able to save in labor and overhead costs, therefore allowing enabling them to offer low-cost banking services, higher interest rates and lower service fees. Second, a virtual account allows you to conduct your business at the time and place convenient to you. Thirdly, a virtual bank account enables you to conduct your business more efficiently and conveniently while managing your account with a greater sense of control: account holders can cluster together documentation of ingoing and outgoing transactions. Virtual bank accounts or e-money accounts, therefore, provide you with the following:

• Fast transactions.
• Low administrative costs. Notably, since there are no “free meals” when conducting businesses, if offered a “best free virtual account,” make sure to enquire as to any hidden charges, fees and costs.
• Simple flow monitoring.
• Improved cash flow.
• Improved account reconciliation process.
• Ability to change your clients’/ suppliers’ assigned account numbers at any given time.

Opening a Virtual Bank Account – The process of opening a virtual bank account could not be more straightforward and rapid; normally, it is as simple as filling out an online document or making a simple deposit. As a first step, you ought to allocate your account with a clear purpose, for example, designating a legal entity or even a business unit. This procedure is carried out by assigning each of your virtual accounts with a unique identification number, thus differentiating it from other existing accounts, within the master account. When you have a European virtual bank account that contains an IBAN number, it is possible to amalgamate any other accounts, so as to contain them within a central account.

Best virtual bank account – There is an abundance of electronic payment methods that are employed within the global financial system, nowadays. Each of these methods, for obvious reasons, has its advantages and disadvantages. In choosing your desirable digital payment platform, it is advisable to take into consideration your intended audience. Who are your clients? Will they find the functions, provided by the electronic payment methods of your choosing, comprehensible and accessible when purchasing either goods or services online? Possibly, the most accommodating solution would be to offer your clients several payment methods and alternatives, in order to offer them the most comprehensive assistance.

How to open an IBAN Account?

Opening an IBAN Account – Used primarily in the European Union, a virtual International Bank Account Number, also known as an IBAN account, internationally reroutes funds from a virtual IBAN account to a physical master IBAN account. IBAN automatically processes transactions; identifies a customer’s bank account; guarantees the authenticity of data; and, contributes to standardization. While different countries have somewhat different application processes and requirements for opening an IBAN account, you will most definitely need your passport, proof of address, and, possibly, proof of employment. Once all personal documentation is provided, the required documentation for the company representation rights will have to be submitted. Whether you choose to open an IBAN account by opening a traditional bank account, in the country of incorporation, or you wish to do so online, as long as you have the necessary documentation, the application process should be easygoing and most efficient.

Best Business Virtual Account with IBAN

In general, it is safe to say that virtual banking will be one of the most prominent characteristics of future banking.  Opening a European virtual bank account with an IBAN number is highly profitable and particularly easy. The application process is conducted online, saving the time spent waiting in lines at the bank. In addition, having an IBAN primarily but not exclusively benefits business owners since it assists in managing your transactions and funds: With a virtual IBAN account, your funds are rerouted from other accounts you might own into one physical ‘Master Account,’ serving as an efficient and economic method for supervising and centralizing your incomes and expenses. Furthermore, not only does an IBAN processes all transactions and guarantees the authenticity of data but, rather, because it identifies your customers’ bank accounts, it offers full transparency and reduces Anti Money Laundering risks. The best virtual IBAN account can be accessed at any time and from anywhere. It allows you to pay and receive payments without delay; provide multi-currency services; charge no monthly or yearly costs and no set-up fees.