Sionic Mobile today announced the U.S. release of ION Rewards® - a free app that pays consumers to buy the things they always buy, pay with their phones, connect with friends and sign up their favorite places.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120530/CL15730LOGO )

An industry first, ION uses next-gen Dwolla payments so consumers can earn digital ION rewards by paying with their phone at any ION merchant, leaving their wallet in their handbag or pocket.  With ION and Dwolla, there is no special chip or extra device required by either consumer or merchant and mobile payments are instant.

"We've taken the ease and practicality of, say, the Starbucks® mobile payment app, but rather than scanning barcodes on customers' phones and mailing card rewards, we transfer cash securely through the cloud using Dwolla and deliver instant, digital rewards for every purchase," stated Ronald Herman, CEO.  "What's more," Herman said, "every ION merchant accepts Dwolla and rewards customers with IONs so users can earn IONs at one place and spend them like cash at another."