YNOT – Internet payment service provider Epoch has added a new international payment option for its merchant clients: Ukash.

Popular in Europe, South Africa, South America, Canada and Australia, Ukash is an e-money network offering a product similar to pre-paid cards, but without a relationship to the card associations. According to an Epoch spokesperson, Ukash is the closest thing to accepting cash online because payment is instant and not subject to chargebacks.

Issued at 275,000 global locations in more than 20 countries, online, through kiosks and ATMs, Ukash “is an ideal solution for reaching customers you might not otherwise have access to,” an Epoch statement noted. According to Ukash, benefits of its payment system include privacy for both the merchant and the consumer, increased marketing reach into areas where credit cards are not common or are not used online and reduced fraud.

Ukash already has been integrated into Epoch’s Smart Payment Forms, but merchants must contact their Epoch account representative in order to activate the option. Once activated, the Ukash option will be presented only for one-time billing offers in countries where the form of payment is recognized.

“Ukash is an excellent payment option for single-shot transactions and cam-sites,” the Epoch spokesperson said. “And a customer who prefers to pay with Ukash may do so, at the merchant’s option, for a specified term of membership — like one month, three months or one year.”

Ukash currently is available for adult transactions originating in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK, the Ukraine and Uruguay.

For more about Epoch’s integration of Ukash, visit Epoch.com or email the support staff.