With Payrexx digital: VERD, the fair Swiss payment card, goes online
VERD.cash, the non-profit payment method of the VERD cooperative, is now also usable in Swiss e-commerce. Payrexx integrates VERD pro bono into its payment solution, thereby opening around 7,000 Swiss online shops for payments with the orange VERD card.
Sheila
Matti
“VERD is like a toolkit,” says Christian Wohlwend, founder and initiator of the VERD co-operative, “and with the tools it contains, every person can earn money for their own village.” Andrea Bargetzi, Managing Director of VERD.cash, takes the floor: “The payment method VERD.cash is exactly one of these tools. Every payment with VERD.cash generates money, which is later distributed through the VERD co-operative. This supports projects and invests in lively villages and neighbourhoods.”
For users
VERD works like a prepaid debit card: pay contactlessly in store and enter the card details online – with one crucial difference. The fees charged do not go to anonymous networks, but flow back through the VERD co-operative into local projects, into the villages and neighbourhoods. You can become a co-operative member when ordering the free card by paying a one-time amount of 5 francs.
For merchants
VERD stands out for its low transaction fees: in-store, you pay only 0.6 percent per payment – significantly less than with other payment methods. In addition, VERD strengthens the local profile of shops, restaurants and hotels. Anyone who accepts VERD visibly supports regional values – and reaches a customer base that consciously pays for the common good.
In recent months, VERD has gained noticeable momentum: over 400 cards have been activated, more than 2,200 transactions completed, over CHF 140,000 deposited onto card accounts, and around 100 shops now accept VERD. The online launch is the next logical step.
Entry into e-commerce thanks to an exclusive partnership
Together with the Thun-based payment provider Payrexx, VERD.cash is set to be available not only in the village store, but also online in future. Through integration into all products and services from Payrexx, around 7,000 Swiss merchants will in future have access to VERD.cash and will be able to let their customers pay with the orange card. To support VERD’s non-profit spirit, Payrexx is also covering all resulting costs and carrying out the entire integration pro bono. For online payments, transaction costs are also only 0.85 %.
“VERD and Payrexx have many things in common: both companies want to support small and medium-sized enterprises, both care deeply about the region, and both want to bring about change in the traditional payments business. A collaboration was therefore only logical for us.”
Ivan Schmid
Founder and CEO of Payrexx
According to Christian Wohlwend, it makes sense for VERD to address online retail as early as possible: “A lively village needs lively businesses, and many village shops already have an online store today. This allows them to offer their products and services independently of opening hours.” By integrating into Payrexx’s network, regional businesses could increase their visibility. “In addition, we are also about self-determination,” emphasises Andrea Bargetzi, “users should be able to decide for themselves how or where they shop. Nobody should be forced to go to the store in order to support their village.”
