Global Payments Inc., a worldwide provider of payment technology services, has announced an agreement with Virtual Next, a mobile-based digital rewards products company, to offer its Canadian merchants a new mobile payment, loyalty, promotion and gift card service.

Through its relationship with Virtual Next, Global Payments said it will offer a unique product designed to leverage two existing apps provided by the world’s top mobile operating systems: Passbook for Apple iOS; and Google Wallet payment service. The product is designed to enable Global Payments' merchants to offer their customers mobile payment, loyalty, coupon and gift capabilities on a merchant-branded digital payment card that can be loaded directly into customers' existing digital wallets without requiring an additional app.

"By integrating our payment technology offerings with Virtual Next's mobile payment and loyalty solution, our merchants will be able to simplify their checkout process without the hassle of loading a new app," said René Bélanger, president of Global Payments Canada. "This partnership not only will provide merchants with new revenue opportunities, but also will streamline payment acceptance."