iSYNERGY Sdn Bhd is looking at a more than 100 percent growth in the number of cardholders for its iSynergy Master Card electronic E.Purse prepaid card for every quarter this year.

The synergy card launched in September 2001 allows customers to travel cashless and make purchases of goods and services at millions of MasterCard electronic merchants world wide, said its managing director K.K. Ng during the launch of Tri-Branded e-pay/Safeway Assist/iSynergy MasterCard Electronic Card, in Petaling Jaya last week.

In the first three months of its launch, the card attracted about 100,000 customers.

iSynergy has now partnered with e-pay (M) Sdn Bhd to give card holders extended nationwide top-up covenience, said Ng, who added that currently, there are about 400 E.Purse Top-Up Centres nationwide.

"The company's tie-up with e-pay would enable cardholders to draw on e-pay's extensive network of almost 2,000 agents as additional top-up centers."

e-pay has been appointed not only to serve as E.Purse Prepaid Top-Up Centres but also as card sales agent for the Tri-Branded e-pay/iSynergy Mastercard Electronic E.Purse which will be introduced from March this year.

e-pay's Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Sahan said the company was looking at increasing its top-up terminals to 3,000, in order to penetrate the non-traditional channel of retails outlets nationwide.

"Currently, we have a significant presence in all major shopping complexes, high street stores , petrol kiosks, convenience stores and mobile phone outlets," said Abdul Khalid.

Vice-president of merchant and business development Perry Ong said that cash cards like iSynergy had a broader market than credit cards.

"We are targeting the 10 million working population but then our cards are available to every one since there is no age or income requirement," said Ong.