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Milestones

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We have been offering multi-jurisdictional, secure payment processing services to Internet merchants around the world for more than 10 years. Following are some highlights in our history.

1998

  • First Atlantic Commerce (FAC) was founded in April 1998 by the current CEO, Andrea Wilson, and three other entrepreneurs
  • FAC became the first international online payment gateway to certify with First Data Merchant Services (FDMS) in the USA, linking Bermuda banks to FDMS for online merchant credit card processing

1999

  • FAC is instrumental in the development of Bermuda's eCommerce infrastructure , consulting with Government in the drafting of The Standard for Electronic Transactions, The Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (ETA)  
  • FAC obtains an eCommerce Private Act of Parliament for Segregated Cell legislation providing the framework for its unique Bermuda Virtual Corp solution for online merchants 

2000

  • FAC is featured in a front page article on offshore eCommerce in the Wall Street Journal
  • FAC launches risk management solutions for merchant Acquiring banks in the Caribbean

2001

  • FAC partners with ScotiaBank International for eCommerce merchant Acquiring in the Caribbean
  • FAC and Bermuda eCommerce make the front page business news of The Toronto Star
  • FAC launches Acquirer risk management and consulting services

2002

  • FAC contracts with banks in Panama to provide Latin and Central American eCommerce merchant Acquiring solutions.  This was the first region to implement multi-currency presentment solutions in 58 different currencies (settlement in USD)
  • Bermuda-based Gibbons Group acquires majority stake in FAC

2003

  • FAC implements a new payment gateway switch to enable further expansion into Europe and provide Internet merchants with European-currency payment processing solutions
  • FAC implements eCommerce payment solutions in Belize, opening up a wider market for Central American businesses
  • FAC certifies 3-D Secure™ payer authentication solutions with First Data Merchant Services, opening up the Latin America and Caribbean Region for Verified by Visa and MasterCard®SecureCode™


2004

  • FAC certifies to the European payments clearing switch to launch multi-currency online processing services in Luxembourg, Netherlands and Sweden (Euros, GBP, CHF, USD and CDN)
  • FAC completes certification with Visa and MasterCard EU and CEMEA regions for Verified by Visa and MasterCard®SecureCode™solutions
  • FAC is the first payment gateway provider to be fully PCI certified by Visa and MasterCard in the Latin American Caribbean Region

2005

  • Andrea Wilson (current CEO) is awarded European CEO Magazine 'Ecommerce and I.T business leader' category award
  • Andrea Wilson wins European CEO Magazine overall Business Leader of the Year 2005 award for outstanding contributions to secure and safe eCommerce payment processing
  • FAC develops a unique quasi cash processing solution for a major listed company covering 40 hotel properties in the Caribbean and Central America

2006

  • FAC implements a unique corporate solution (named Double Dutch) for eCommerce businesses in the Dutch Antilles in conjunction with a banking partner in The Netherlands

2007

  • FAC implements and certifies a universal host translation module to enable certification to any card payment platform worldwide, enabling FAC to leverage 'time to market' advantages over other payment gateway providers
  • FAC certifies to Visa in Israel to facilitate expansion into the Central and Middle European eCommerce payments markets
  • FAC certifies to new partner bank in Mauritius and launches its Pacific Rim solution offering multi-currency direct merchant accounts for eCommerce companies expanding in the region
  • FAC signs with one of the world's largest car rental groups introducing prepaid car rental services for South America
  • FAC certifies to EVERTEC in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean's leading processor of electronic transactions, enabling further expansion for international merchants in the region, and providing merchants with additional payment gateway and value added services

2008

  • FAC provides Verified by Visa and MasterCard®SecureCode™solutions to PROSA in Mexico for their Acquiring banks in the region. PROSA is the largest processor in Latin America, and one of the 12th largest such companies worldwide
  • FAC introduces a web-based, multi-currency, multi-user payments solution for Call Centres 
  • FAC provides 3-D Secure™only solutions to a large Mexican bank and its online airline merchants
  • FAC wins Bermuda Government's Ministry of Telecommunications and eCommerce 'Innovation of the Year' award for its unique, standalone, online consumer authentication solution, designed for airlines, hotels and large retailers in Mexico

2009

  • FAC launches suite of card not present consumer pre-authentication and data risk management solutions to mitigate chargebacks
  • FAC partners with Scotiabank to offer 3-D Secure solutions across the English Caribbean Region
  • FAC and MITec join forces to reduce online credit card fraud in Mexico with authentication-only fraud management tools
  • Chexx partners with FAC to provide international checks and EFT to FAC merchants around the globe
  • FAC teams up with Ukash for alternative payment options in Europe and emerging markets

 

2010 

  • FAC joins forces with WorldNet to mitigate credit card fraud for WorldNet merchants across Ireland, UK and Europe
  • FAC expands Ukash integration to include multicurrency voucher issuing, and full and partial voucher redemption functions
  • Bahamas Telecom launches wireless service enabled by Aptilo Networks and payment enabled by FAC

 

To find out more, please contact us. Or simply apply online.