Gemalto and Banksys have launched an SMS-powered mobile payments service in Belgium, which the companies say is the first ever secure SMS payment service. Banksys developed a technology, called a-banxafe, which works with every major bank in the country. Once a potential user signs up, he or she simply keys a payment request into their mobile phone, the payee receives payment details by SMS and accepts them using a PIN code. Once completed, both parties get confirmation via text. Activating the service requires a "3G" SIM card from Gemalto and a trip to the ATM to green light it. Belgian carrier Base is the first to sign up for the application.

For more on the mobile payments solution:
- see this article from The Inquirer