Standard Chartered Bank and Singapore’s telcom operator SingTel have launched a mobile money service called Dash, which the bank says will reduce reliance on physical bank branches. The idea behind Dash is that customers are more likely to engage with banking services if they can use them via mobile. At launch, Dash has three abilities. Dash Easy is a savings account linked to a mobile cash account. Customers can download cash into their mobile phone and use it to make payments. Dash Advance is a personal loan facility where customers apply through their mobile, instead of visiting a branch. Dash Abroad is a mobile travel insurance service. Dash is centred round the lifestyle needs and habits of a mobile Internet generation who are used to downloading information and content on the go, said Allen Lew, chief executive, Group Digital Life at SingTel. The Dash mobile app is designed for Apple iOS and Android devices and is available to subscribers on all local mobile operators. Peer to peer payments are made through a swipe interface that was designed to ‘mimic physical cash transfer’, according to the bank.
