KINGSTON, Jamaica —  A new virtual payment solution aimed at expanding access to digital finance has been launched in Jamaica, allowing users to make online and in-store payments without needing a traditional bank account or physical card.

The announcement was made recently at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre in Kingston, according to a release, where Product Lead Lloydon Bramwell introduced the Lynk virtual card as a tool to help more Jamaicans participate in the digital economy.

“Too many people still have to sit out participating in the digital economy because they do not have a bank account or credit card,” Bramwell said. “With the Lynk Virtual Card, getting started is simple. All you need is your ID and smartphone. You can pay online, subscribe to services and manage your money in a way that works for you.”

Powered by Visa, the Lynk virtual card is designed with features to support users who primarily rely on cash. It enables online transactions, subscriptions and contactless tap-to-pay purchases using only a smartphone, with no requirement for a bank account or physical card.

The card is embedded within the Lynk app and can be activated within minutes. Once set up, users can make purchases anywhere Visa is accepted, both locally and internationally.

The launch forms part of a broader update to the Lynk platform, which now serves 300,000 users across Jamaica.

Lynk is also among a limited number of digital wallets integrated with Jam-Dex, the central bank digital currency introduced by the Bank of Jamaica in July 2022, offering additional options for digital transactions.

Bramwell said the Lynk wallet is intended to provide a comprehensive financial tool accessible via smartphone, allowing users to send and receive money, pay bills, top up mobile credit, purchase data plans, transfer funds to local bank accounts and receive remittances through Western Union and MoneyGram. Customers can also add cash at any of NCB’s 300 ABMs islandwide using the ‘Cardless Cash’ feature.

At the launch event, members of the Lynk team assisted commuters and vendors with signing up, activating accounts and using the platform on the spot.

Errol McDonald, a long-time Lynk customer, said the virtual card had already made a difference since its soft launch in February.

“I’ve been using Lynk for years now, and when the virtual card soft launched in February, it really changed things for me. I was having some issues with getting a card, so this gave me a way to still make payments without using cash without the hassle,” McDonald said.

“Now I pay for things in-store and online and even invest in myself. I recently used it to sign up for a software tool to help me start doing currency trading on the side,” McDonald added.

Bramwell emphasised that simplicity and user control were central to the product’s design.

“You can activate your card in minutes, see every transaction in real time and block it instantly if something does not look right,” he said. “It is about making digital payments easier to use in everyday life.”

The Lynk virtual card is now available to users across Jamaica and supports contactless tap-to-pay transactions on Android devices.