Journal of Payments Strategy & Systems Volume 9 Number 1 Social networks, game-changer for e-money? Will social networks (e-)monetise the payments industry? Philippe Caluwaerts Received (in revised form): 6th December, 2014 Policy Officer, Audit and Credit Rating Agencies Unit, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Directorate General, European Commission, Rue de Spa 2 (SPA2 01/103), 1049 Brussels, Belgium Tel: (32-2) 2984811; e-mail:
[email protected] Philippe Caluwaerts is Policy Officer in the ecosystem lacking global standards and requir- Directorate-General Financial Stability, Financial ing enhanced collaboration between mul tiple Services and Capital Markets Union of the stakeholders including financial institutions, card European Commission. He was previously schemes, mobile network operators, service involved in the design and implementation of the providers and merchants, and the sometimes European policy on payment services and retail fragmented regulatory regimes, all have to be financial services. As part of his duties, he took addressed for e-money to be successful. This part in the design and negotiation of the revised paper describes why we may be at the forefront rules on electronic money and electronic money of a breakthrough in the e-money market, institutions (Directive 2009/110/EC), which were driven by social networks. In particular, the adopted in September 2009. Currently, he is uptake of electronic commerce, the boom of social expert in the EU regulation on credit rating agen- networks connecting families across the globe cies. Before joining the Commission, he worked and creating opportunities for money remittance, in the private sector in banking, mobile telecom- the active presence of merchants on social net- munications and consulting.