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Absolutely, virtual cards have been around for years. But we've researched the space extensively and did not find a product we like or could use consistently. S

Absolutely, virtual cards have been around for years. But we've researched the space extensively and did not find a product we like or could use consistently. So we built Final. Some of the better products out there exist for customers outside of the US.

otoburb 12y ago
>Some of the better products out there exist for customers outside of the US. Would appreciate if you could give some examples for non-US customers, at least for another point of comparison.
- bobcostas55 12y ago
  In Sweden I can do this...you launch a desktop or phone app, tell it what limit you want on the card and when you want it to expire, and it gives you a number w/ CVC code that you can use instantly.
  - negrit 12y ago
    Same in France. The US is just behind.
- JetSpiegel 12y ago
  Portugal has MBnet, with a web interface and an Android app, as I recall. It works as advertised.
  - icebraining 12y ago
    I can attest. It supports both "one shot" cards as well as multi-use (with a time limit, up to one year), both with a limit on how much they can be charged. That said, I don't think it has an Android app, just a mobile website. The app that shows in Google Play is just a shortcut to the website (built by an unaffiliated developer). And of course, it doesn't even any of the notification stuff, it's just a gateway to your regular bank account. Nor does it have physical cards.
    - JetSpiegel 12y ago
      Yeah, I mistook it for the Caixadirecta app, it's a different thing. MBnet is made by SIBS, the same entity that controls all the ATM.
  - dcustodio 12y ago
    yes, MBnet is awesome. but sometimes some sites don't accept it (when they test the card doing some transactions first), I wonder if Final will have the same issues.
    - lm2s 12y ago
      That used to happen but I haven't experienced that in a while. Even before the introduction of multi usage virtual cards.
- riffraff 12y ago
  intesa/sanpaolo/bci/cib/whatever (has a ton of brands in europe) has virtual cards with time-based expiration (at most 12 months) or single use. I am reasonably sure ING and unicredit did that too some years ago.
riquito 12y ago
As an european I'd like to know which are the best product (until you open your business) :-P
danellis 12y ago
I've thought about the feasibility of such a service for a long time, but I always figured you'd run out of numbers. If there are nine digits available (16 - 6 - 1), that's 1,000,000,000. If you have, say, 100,000 customers, that's 10,000 per customer, which would quickly get used up if they're using one per transaction.
- dangero 12y ago
  Couldn't you reuse a disposable number given some time interval?
  - danellis 12y ago
    I don't know enough about how it all works, but perhaps -- because the number isn't valid on its own -- giving the number to a different customer, with a different name, effectively invalidates its previous use and means it can be safely reused.
    - andyjohnson0 12y ago
      Some information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_payment_number http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_payment_number

otoburb 12y ago

>Some of the better products out there exist for customers outside of the US. Would appreciate if you could give some examples for non-US customers, at least for another point of comparison.

bobcostas55 12y ago
In Sweden I can do this...you launch a desktop or phone app, tell it what limit you want on the card and when you want it to expire, and it gives you a number w/ CVC code that you can use instantly.
- negrit 12y ago
  Same in France. The US is just behind.
JetSpiegel 12y ago
Portugal has MBnet, with a web interface and an Android app, as I recall. It works as advertised.
- icebraining 12y ago
  I can attest. It supports both "one shot" cards as well as multi-use (with a time limit, up to one year), both with a limit on how much they can be charged. That said, I don't think it has an Android app, just a mobile website. The app that shows in Google Play is just a shortcut to the website (built by an unaffiliated developer). And of course, it doesn't even any of the notification stuff, it's just a gateway to your regular bank account. Nor does it have physical cards.
  - JetSpiegel 12y ago
    Yeah, I mistook it for the Caixadirecta app, it's a different thing. MBnet is made by SIBS, the same entity that controls all the ATM.
- dcustodio 12y ago
  yes, MBnet is awesome. but sometimes some sites don't accept it (when they test the card doing some transactions first), I wonder if Final will have the same issues.
  - lm2s 12y ago
    That used to happen but I haven't experienced that in a while. Even before the introduction of multi usage virtual cards.
riffraff 12y ago
intesa/sanpaolo/bci/cib/whatever (has a ton of brands in europe) has virtual cards with time-based expiration (at most 12 months) or single use. I am reasonably sure ING and unicredit did that too some years ago.

riquito 12y ago

As an european I'd like to know which are the best product (until you open your business) :-P

danellis 12y ago

I've thought about the feasibility of such a service for a long time, but I always figured you'd run out of numbers. If there are nine digits available (16 - 6 - 1), that's 1,000,000,000. If you have, say, 100,000 customers, that's 10,000 per customer, which would quickly get used up if they're using one per transaction.

dangero 12y ago
Couldn't you reuse a disposable number given some time interval?
- danellis 12y ago
  I don't know enough about how it all works, but perhaps -- because the number isn't valid on its own -- giving the number to a different customer, with a different name, effectively invalidates its previous use and means it can be safely reused.
  - andyjohnson0 12y ago
    Some information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_payment_number http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_payment_number