Smart Bits: Stored Value Group Seen About to Realign

Smart Cash, the bank-owned stored value group, will announce its reconfiguration within weeks, said reliable sources at the CardTech/SecurTech '96 West conference, where technology buffs and bankers convened to hear the latest from the smart card industry.

Word from Wilmington, Del.-based Electronic Payment Services Inc., developer of Smart Cash and owner of the MAC network, could reveal the 10 or more banks involved in the smart card venture within weeks, said an executive from one of the MAC-owning banks.

While not divulging all the partners, the group will be "big enough to wire the country," she said.

Visa is expected to be a part of the group and will invest close to $30 million - the cost to develop the technology - said another source close to the deal.

The five Electronic Payment Services owners, CoreStates Financial Corp., PNC Corp., Banc One Corp., KeyCorp, and National City Corp., as well as BankAmerica Corp. and others will band together to advance the smart card system in the United States, said the executive.

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