Sparkassen Card Available Digitally with Visa Debit Co-Badge

S-Payment GmbH has launched a digital version of its Sparkassen Card that includes a Visa Debit co-badge. This allows customers to use their cards digitally through the "Mobiles Bezahlen" app and Apple Pay. The card can now be used for mobile payments domestically and internationally, as well as for online purchases and within apps.

The digital Sparkassen Card also supports cash withdrawals at compatible ATMs worldwide. The Visa Debit co-badge was first introduced on the physical Sparkassen Card in October 2022.

This expansion of the digital Sparkassen Card is part of a broader strategy to enhance the Sparkassen banks' card offerings. In August 2022, a version of the card with both girocard and a Debit Mastercard co-badge was released. These updates are partly in response to Mastercard International Inc.'s decision to phase out its Maestro debit service globally by June 30, 2023.

In the autumn of 2022, German Sparkassen confirmed that all approximately 46 million Sparkassen Cards will retain their girocard functionality beyond June 2023. The banks stated they would not issue pure Mastercard or Visa Debit cards. Girocard remains a significant payment method in Germany, used in approximately 18 million transactions daily.