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A prepaid card-loading program from MasterCard Worldwide will expand its reach in Europe through two deals announced Tuesday. Ukash, a prepaid-voucher firm based in the United Kingdom, has signed a deal to enable consumers to reload their MasterCard prepaid cards at Ukash locations under the card company's "rePower" scheme. Customers pay a fee at reloading for the service, but the amount was unclear Tuesday. Ukash operates some 275,000 locations, though the Ukash spokesperson would not say how many would offer the service. Ukash will launch its rePower service in the fourth quarter, the spokesperson adds. Ukash will introduce the service in the UK before rolling it out in other parts of Europe, the spokesperson says. Meanwhile, Metavante Technologies Ltd., a European debit and prepaid card processor that is a subsidiary of United States-based Metavante Corp., will offer the same service through UK-based Advanced Payment Solutions Ltd., a Metavante spokesperson tells CardLine Global. Last year, Altair Financial Services International PLC, a UK-based payments processor and prepaid card provider, said it would take part in the MasterCard program (CardLine Global, 10 July 2008), as did Ireland-based Payzone PLC.
