System, payment agent and computer readable storage medium for facilitating contactless mobile payment transactions

A payment agent for facilitating contactless mobile payment transactions, the payment agent comprising:

• a digital data processor for processing digital data;
• a memory device operably coupled to the processor and storing the digital data, the digital data including computer program code;
• and
• a network interface operably coupled to the processor and sending and receiving the digital data across a network, wherein, in use, the processor is controlled by the computer program code to:
• receive, via the network interface, a primary transaction request from an issuer switch;
• send, via the network interface, a virtual transaction request in accordance with the primary transaction request;
• receive, via the network interface, a virtual transaction reply;
• and
• send, via the network interface, a primary transaction reply to the issuer switch in accordance with the virtual transaction reply.