Mobile payment platforms can be categorized as mobile banking, remote purchases, person-to-person payments, and point-of-sale payments. For mobile payments to succeed, they need to alter consumer spending habits and be easy to use. While the concept seems promising, the business model reality check shows that the value chain players only see benefit if transaction and implementation costs are reduced and customer data access is provided. Near Field Communication (NFC) and SMS-based payments are the main technologies, but challenges remain around interoperability and security.