Visa is set to revolutionize how businesses accept payments with its new cloud solution. The Visa Acceptable Cloud platform will allow payment terminals to access universal functionalities without having it embedded into each hardware device.

The platform turns compatible embedded devices into a cloud-connected portal with Visa’s analytics, software updates and network services. It goes beyond smartphones with common operating systems, by supporting physical point-of-sales terminals as well as other IoT units.

“Cloud acceptance is the future of payments,” said Mary Kay Bowman, senior vice president and global head of payment and platform products at Visa. “Cloud-connected POS lets sellers accept payments across a range of devices quickly, simply and safely.”

Visa wants to satisfy the digital payments dilemma for small businesses, which may struggle to finance new infrastructure, while also looking to support novel shopping experiences that transform retail.

“Visa Acceptance Cloud enables advanced shopping and buying experiences that will be central to the future of retail for businesses of all shapes and sizes,” Bowman said.

“Moving acceptance to the cloud opens up the possibility of so much innovation from the entire payments ecosystem. This is only the beginning.”

Added services accessible through the platform include buy now, pay later payment plans, fraud management, seller onboarding and advanced data analytics. 

The Visa Acceptance Cloud follows the company’s January 2020 debut of “Tap to Phone” which transformed Android smartphones and tablets into contactless point-of-sale terminals. It was the company’s first offering giving sellers the ability to accept payments on devices simply by downloading an app. 

NOBAL Technologies is using the Visa Acceptable Cloud platform to add payments functionality to smart mirrors in clothing store fitting rooms, enabling customers to pay there and then. 

The company’s CEO Bill Roberst says retailers are looking to enhance their in-store experience to meet the speed and convenience of the online and in-store checkout experiences. 

“NOBAL’s intelligent mirror in partnership with VAC from Visa provides payment experiences on our mirror without the expense and expertise required for embedded hardware modules, helping us push the future of retail in new ways,” he said. 

Visa has joined forces with Bleu to expand the platform in Australia. It can cost as much as $1,000 to install point-of-sale devices in Australian retail, said Bleu’s president and CEO Sesie Bonsi.  “Moving to Visa Acceptance Cloud removes the barriers of traditional hardware and burdens of device-bound kernel certifications, making it easier for the independent business that we serve to deliver touchless payment options to their customers through any connected device,” Bonsi said.