Stratos, Inc., today announced the launch of the Stratos Bluetooth Connected Card™, the industry’s first payment card that consolidates an unlimited number of plastic cards into one and works everywhere traditional cards are accepted. Stratos Card members can load credit, debit, loyalty, membership and gift cards onto Stratos and make smarter and more secure payments with a familiar, universally accepted card form. The Stratos Card can instantly change into any card when needed, any time and anywhere.
“Stratos exists to empower consumers to make smarter, more secure payment decisions – all with the benefit of consolidating the cards in their wallets,” said Thiago Olson, Co-Founder and CEO of Stratos. “Replacing the dumb plastic we carry every day, Stratos Card is connected hardware designed to improve how we pay with more security, better decisions and ease of use. Stratos is reinventing your wallet and cards just like the iPod and iTunes reinvented your CD collection.”
Stratos Card Benefits
More than 75 percent of consumers are interested in paying with an all-in-one connected card.* Enter the Stratos Card. Members can load an unlimited number of credit, debit, loyalty, membership and gift cards onto one beautifully designed card that works wherever they go. Key features include:
● Superior acceptance and reliability. With compatibility to all current U.S. merchant infrastructure, the Stratos Card is the only connected card you can use everywhere, including ATMs, restaurants, retail stores and gas stations.
● Superior security. Stratos’ patented Security Lock-Down feature lets members automatically program their card to shut down if it’s not in proximity to their smartphone for a specific amount of time. Other security features include bank-level encryption and card details securely stored behind a PIN or Touch ID.
● Superior intelligence. Stratos leverages the mobile lock screen for instant, real-time notifications, including information on member’s top three favorite cards and their last four-digits for card verification. The Stratos Mobile App centralizes, tracks and manages all cards securely. Coming soon, geo-location and history-based card suggestions and insights to help make better payment decisions.
● Superior experience. Stratos offers a unique membership that ensures cardholders always have the most complete experience. Membership includes:
o A Stratos Card, the Stratos Mobile App (for iOS and Android) and a Stratos Reader (for adding cards).
o Free annual Stratos Card upgrades (or replacement cards), so your investment is never obsolete – members have first access to the latest technology, as soon as it’s available.
o Personalized member support including phone, email and social communication.
o Future Stratos features, including geo-location based recommendations, virtual card downloads, EMV contactless and card tokenization.
● Superior style. The Stratos Card features five distinctive colors: Slate, White, Blue, Salmon and Green. The card is beautifully designed, yet durable – unlike smartphone-based mobile payment systems, it’s waterproof and passed ISO 7810 and 7816 tests that include bend, static shock, abrasion tests and more.
“When you move from one technology to another, you typically need an approach that melds the old way of doing things with the new,” said Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst for the Enderle Group. “Stratos is a unique solution because it combines next generation mobile payment functionality with a familiar, trusted form factor. This dynamic card is able to digitize your cards and work virtually everyplace that takes a credit card. The user has a more convenient and secure solution that actually works today and in the future – critical to succeeding in mobile payment adoption.”
How Stratos Works
● Step one: Load an unlimited number of credit, debit, loyalty, membership and gift cards onto your mobile device using the Stratos Reader
● Step two: Instantly sync your cards onto Stratos Card using Bluetooth
● Step three: To pay, tap to activate your Stratos Card, select your preferred payment card and swipe just like you would any other credit card. It’s that simple.
Plus, your top three cards are always available – with or without your phone. Stratos allows you to access any of your cards in real-time through the lock screen of your mobile device.
A Complete Solution
Stratos is more than a device, it’s a connected, cloud-based platform designed for today’s infrastructure. Stratos merges the efficiency and familiarity of a conventional payment card with the power and convenience of a mobile wallet. Merchants do not need to change their infrastructure to use Stratos, and consumers swipe just as they always have. Stratos membership is also future proof as the industry evolves. The company is actively collaborating with card associations and major U.S. banks to adapt the latest, most secure payment protocols, including EMV and tokenization.
Pricing & Availability
The Stratos Card and Stratos membership are available today at www.stratoscard.com. Memberships start at $95 (for one-year) and a discounted $145 (for two-years). Shipping begins April 2015.
*2014 Stratos Annual Connected Card Consumer Quantitative Survey
About Stratos
Stratos is the creator of the Stratos Bluetooth Connected Card™, which consolidates plastic cards into a single, smart, dynamic card. Credit, debit, loyalty, membership and gift cards can be loaded onto the Stratos Card, simplifying the payment experience and empowering people to make better payment decisions all while using a familiar, universally accepted card form. Stratos offers its members free card upgrades, real-time location-based recommendations, patented security features and financial insights to ensure a superior customer experience. Merchants and issuers partnering with Stratos are able to strengthen loyalty and engagement with better data and improved communications to their customers without infrastructure change. Stratos was founded by Thiago Olson, Chris Bartenstein and Henry Balanon and is based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company is funded by Toba Capital Partners, Western Technology Investment, Resonant Venture Partners and Hyde Park Venture Partners. For more information, visit stratoscard.com.