Bank of the West Offers Mobile Payments Through Bling Nation

Bank of the West ($63.6 billion in assets) will offer mobile payments to its more than 330 client banks through a referral agreement with Bling Nation.

The Bling Nation mobile payment services let customers with a direct deposit account or DDA simply tap their mobile phones to pay for purchases and instantly redeem loyalty incentives at the point of sale. A quarter-sized microchip sticker or BlingTag™ adheres to the mobile phone, enabling a secure and convenient debit transaction as well as personal finance management. Each Bling transaction is followed by a SMS text with real-time account balance and purchase verification, which can help consumers take control of the management of their finances.

"Our mission is to help independent community banks compete in their markets," said Bankers' Bank of the West president and CEO Bill Mitchell. "This partnership with Bling Nation gives our client banks access to a new realm of technology-driven solutions their customers will be excited about – and that's exciting to us."