Telecom Italia launched a new mobile payment solution allowing customers to make peer-to-peer transfers, check balances and pay using their smartphone in affiliated stores.

Dubbed TIMpersonal, the service was developed by Italian bank Banca Sella Group and gives Telecom Italia customers access to a virtual prepaid MasterCard card via a dedicated app. Once they have taken a selfie as a security measure, customers can access a suite of mobile money services via their smartphones.

In a statement Telecom Italia explained customers can also request a physical card to make purchases through contactless and withdraw cash. The operator added it will reward those using the TIMPersonal app with 1GB of data a month for the first year.

TIMPersonal also enables customers to use their prepaid phone credit to buy tickets for public transport, park vehicles and rent electric cars in cities across Italy.