Mobile payments inquiry calls for submissions

John Kavanagh

The commercial relationships between providers of mobile payment services and financial services providers will be the core issue in an parliamentary committee inquiry into mobile payment and digital wallet financial services.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee has released the terms of reference for its inquiry and has called for submissions by May 21.

It will look at the nature of commercial relationships and business models in the sector, including any imbalances in bargaining power between providers of mobile payment digital wallet services and local financial service providers, merchants and vendors, and consumers.

The committee will compare commercial relationships in Australia and elsewhere.

It wants to assess the adequacy of consumer protection, any implications for competition and the performance of market regulation and self-regulation.