Smart Choice Technology (SCT) has signed up Krishi Premura (KP), a Hongkong-based money transfer company, as an associate member of SCT Network. KP will ride on Laxmi Bank's affiliation with the network and arrange for ATM cards to be issued to its clients. A tripartite agreement was signed between SCT Laxmi Bank and KP on 6 November. Laxmi Bank has been issuing ATM/Debit cards accepted all across the network of SCT, which provides the technology, business process and services infrastructure to support financial transactions through Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and Point of Sale (PoS) terminals. SCT currently has eight member banks with a few more expected to join in. This new service will benefit Nepalis who receive remittances from abroad. KP will be able to provide customers with pre-paid ATM cards, in lieu of the remittances they receive from aboard. These customers will have access to SCT's network of over 26 ATMs all over Nepal. KP will have cards automatically 're-charged' when fresh remittances are received. Apart from ease of operation, remittance cards provide greater security to beneficiaries. Introduction of remittance cards is expected to bring about a whole new dimension to the vibrant remittance business and help channel more remittances into Nepal through legal channels.