Visa is expanding its Visa Ready certification program to include Internet of Things (IoT) companies such as manufacturers of wearables, automobiles, appliances and clothing so that secure payments can be added to a wider range of connected devices, the payment network has announced at Mobile World Congress. The program certifies third-party solutions to show that they meet the network’s payment and security standards.

“The Visa Ready Program gives companies one seamless path to integrate secure payments into their products and services,” Visa says. “Visa Ready partners receive access to industry best practices, tools and resources and Visa’s Digital Enablement Program (VDEP), which includes streamlined access to Visa Token Service (VTS).

“The first IoT companies to join the Visa Ready Program will focus on payments for wearables and automobiles. Initial Visa Ready partners include Accenture, Coin, Giesecke & Devrient, FitPay and Samsung, who will work with device manufacturers including Chronos and Pebble to help embed secure payments in consumer devices and have those devices certified as Visa Ready.”

“More and more consumers are relying on smart appliances and connected devices to make their lives easier,” says Visa’s Jim McCarthy. “By adding payments to these devices, we are turning virtually any internet connection into a commerce experience, making secure payments seamless, and ultimately more accessible to merchants and consumers.”

Visa launched the Visa Ready Program to “accelerate the introduction of innovative payment solutions globally” in February 2013.

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