The mobile payments company Fortumo has formed a partnership with Kyivstar, the second-largest mobile operator in Central and Eastern Europe, to allow 25 million Kyivstar customers to make payments in games and applications in the MNO's App Club app store without using a credit card.

The first game published under the new arrangement will be "Cut the Rope: Originals," from the Russian game development studio Zeptolab. Kyivstar customers can now unlock additional features and levels in the game by using one-click mobile payments.

Kyivstar said the number of apps using mobile payments in App Club will grow with additions from game developers such as Rovio, EA, Halfbrick, Creative Mobile and Lima Sky.

"Our partnership with Fortumo will bring additional value to both consumers and developers of digital products," Alexei Kireyev, head of product development and new business at Kyivstar, said in a news release. "Users are now able to make purchases within freemium and free-to-play games by charging payments to their mobile phone bill. For developers, mobile payments provide better access to monetizing the Ukrainian market — rather than relying on credit cards, a simpler mobile payment solution is now available to them."

Gerri Kodres, SVP business development and carrier relations for Fortumo, said Kyivstar is a regional leader and role model in providing value-added services to customers. "This partnership will bring additional revenue to developers using Fortumo, as Ukraine is one of the largest emerging markets and has great potential for mobile payments," he said in the release.

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