VISA and Standard Charter Bank have launched the first chip based pre-authorised, offline payment card in Ghana. Visa CEMEA president, Anne Cobb, said that their chip card should help overcome infrastructure weaknesses that have traditionally held back the introduction of payment cards in emerging markets. No telephone authorisation is required when the card is used. “In Ghana where bulky notes have to be carried around to buy goods and services, this represents a significant benefit,” she added. The initial roll out will take place in the capital city of Accra and will later expand to other major Ghanaian cities in the near future.