On 25-Oct-2010, Visa Inc, in its press release announced that its opening World’s Leading Payments Network to Independent Developers. Authorize.Net Developer Center Enhanced to Facilitate Creation of Innovative Electronic Payments Applications.

The Developer Center builds on Authorize.Net’s existing platform, which Visa acquired as part of the purchase of CyberSource earlier this year. Developers will have at their fingertips the resources needed for rapid development and deployment of payment applications that extend the value and power of electronic payments for consumers, merchants and financial institutions. These can be created to run on a variety of devices, from PCs to smartphones, and could support applications including eCommerce transactions, mobile transactions, person-to-person payments and payments at the physical point of sale. The Developer Center acts as a central community with tools and advice that developers at any level can use to readily connect through CyberSource to VisaNet along with other payments networks, and will be available free of charge.

“Visa has developed many innovative network-based payment products and services. But when you combine the power of our network, the resources of the Developer Center and the creativity of software developers, there’s no limit to the innovations that can emerge,” said Jim McCarthy, Global Head of Product for Visa. “Good ideas come from a variety of sources. We believe that opening our network to the developer community is critical to fueling innovation and driving one of Visa’s central goals, extending the benefits of digital payments to anyone, anywhere, using any device.”

Paypal everages on developers. It has dedicated developer community Paypalx Developer Network and is currently holding a conference Paypalx Innovate 2010 Developer Conference.

SWIFT is currently holding SIBOS 2010. SWIFT Swift CEO Lázaro Campos has launched the banking co-operative’s annual Sibos conference by calling for more innovation from bankers and technologists.

“Making innovation mainstream is a significant shift. Our innovation team has been going for three years and we have not even started yet so that is why we need your help.” , Campos said.

SWIFT has its own Developer Resource Center. But its restricted and is not freely available  for independent developers. Will it take the bold step of opening it up at SIBOS 2010 or will the Innotribe announce The Long Now?