Stored-value card system

1. A stored-value card system comprising:

a point-of-sale terminal;

a communications device; and

a stored-value card agent,

wherein the stored-value card agent is configured to:

receive, from the communications device, a message identifying a payment amount;

transmit, to a stored-value card network, a request message including the payment amount;

receive a confirmation of the stored-value card network associating the payment amount with a stored-value card account maintained by the stored-value card network; and

transmit a token to the communications device, and

wherein the point-of-sale terminal is configured to:

transmit, to the stored-value card network, a completion message including the token and excluding the payment amount; and

receive, from the stored-value card network, an authorization code confirming authorization of a funds transfer in the payment amount.

2. The stored-value card system according to claim 1 , wherein the stored-value card agent includes a memory storing a ledger database, the ledger database includes a plurality of ledgers, and the stored-value card agent is configured to receive an account request from the communications device, add a new ledger to the ledger database, generate a device identifier, and uniquely associate the device identifier with the new ledger in the ledger database.

3. The stored-value card system according to claim 2 , wherein the stored-value card network is configured to generate the token and to uniquely associate the token with the stored-value card account in response to the request message, and the confirmation of the stored-value card network includes the token.

4. The stored-value card system according to claim 3 , wherein the token is distinct from the device identifier, and the request message excludes the device identifier.

5. The stored-value card system according to claim 1 , wherein the stored-value card agent includes a memory storing a ledger database, the ledger database includes a plurality of ledgers, and the stored-value card agent is configured to receive an account request from the communications device, transmit a nil payment amount to the stored-value card network, receive a device identifier from the stored-value card network in response to the nil payment amount, and uniquely associate the device identifier with an existing one of the ledgers in the ledger database.

6. The stored-value card system according to claim 5 , wherein the stored-value card network is configured to generate the device identifier and to uniquely associate the device identifier with the stored-value card account in response to the nil payment amount, and the confirmation of the stored-value card network excludes the device identifier.

7. The stored-value card system according to claim 6 , wherein the token is indistinct from the device identifier, and the request message includes the device identifier.

8. The stored-value card system according to claim 1 , wherein the stored-value card agent includes a memory storing a ledger database, the ledger database includes a plurality of ledgers, one of the ledgers stores a current balance value and a device identifier, and the stored-value card agent is configured to:

receive the device identifier from the communications device;

in response to the message identifying a payment amount, locate the one ledger in the ledger database via the device identifier;

determine the current balance value in the one ledger;

prior to transmitting the request message, confirm that the current balance value is at least equal to the payment amount; and

reduce the current balance value in the one ledger by the payment amount.

9. The stored-value card system according to claim 8 , wherein the one ledger stores a credential, and the stored-value card agent is configured to:

receive a passcode from the communications device; and

prior to locating the one ledger, confirm that the passcode corresponds with the credential stored in the one ledger.

10. A method of withdrawing funds from a stored-value card network, the method comprising:

a stored-value card agent receiving, from a communications device, a message identifying a payment amount;

the stored-value card agent transmitting, to the stored-value card network, a request message including the payment amount;

the stored-value card agent receiving a confirmation of the stored-value card network associating the payment amount with a stored-value card account maintained by the stored-value card network;

the stored-value card agent transmitting a token to the communications device;

a point-of-sale terminal transmitting, to the stored-value card network, a completion message including the token and excluding the payment amount; and

the point-of-sale terminal receiving, from the stored-value card network, an authorization code confirming authorization of a funds transfer in the payment amount.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the stored-value card agent includes a memory storing a ledger database, the ledger database includes a plurality of ledgers, and the method further comprises the stored-value card agent:

receiving an account request from the communications device;

adding a new ledger to the ledger database;

generating a device identifier; and

uniquely associating the device identifier with the new ledger in the ledger database.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the stored-value card agent generating the token and uniquely associating the token with the stored-value card account in response to the request message, and the confirmation of the stored-value card network includes the token.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the token is distinct from the device identifier, and the request message excludes the device identifier.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the stored-value card agent includes a memory storing a ledger database, the ledger database includes a plurality of ledgers, and the method further comprises the stored-value card agent:

receiving an account request from the communications device;

transmitting a nil payment amount to the stored-value card network;

receiving a device identifier from the stored-value card network in response to the nil payment amount; and

uniquely associating the device identifier with an existing one of the ledgers in the ledger database.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising the stored-value card agent generating the device identifier and uniquely associating the device identifier with the stored-value card account in response to the nil payment amount, and the confirmation of the stored-value card network excludes the device identifier.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the token is indistinct from the device identifier, and the request message includes the device identifier.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the stored-value card agent includes a memory storing a ledger database, the ledger database includes a plurality of ledgers, one of the ledgers stores a current balance value and a device identifier, and the method further comprises the stored-value card agent:

receiving the device identifier from the communications device;

in response to the message identifying a payment amount, locating the one ledger in the ledger database via the device identifier;

determining the current balance value in the one ledger;

prior to transmitting the request message, confirming that the current balance value is at least equal to the payment amount; and

reducing the current balance value in the one ledger by the payment amount.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the one ledger stores a credential, and the method further comprises the stored-value card agent:

receiving a passcode from the communications device; and

prior to locating the one ledger, confirming that the passcode corresponds with a credential stored in the one ledger.