Online payment firm PayPal is launching an incentive program to lure banks and technology providers away from Google Checkout, reports Internet Retailer.

The incentive program offers wide-ranging support from promotional materials to technical help, as well as a $2,500 signing bonus for merchants joining the Express Checkout program.
By offering the incentive to banks or other firms running e-commerce sites PayPal, gets wider reach for its effort. Once they're part of the Express Checkout program, clients can roll the offer out across their e-commerce websites.

PayPal Express allows customers to register their payment card so they don't have to enter it every time. They can also choose to use their PayPal account if they wish.

PayPal calls the incentive offers a mere formalization of unofficial programs they've previously conducted.

PayPal says usage has grown 30 percent, handling $11 billion in payments in the first quarter of 2007. 61 percent of that came from owner eBay, a lower percentage than in previous years. The drop demonstrates PayPal's success in branching out beyond the auction site.