Bank Innovation tracks new financial apps for the iPhone and Android and when we find one that’s worth taking a closer look at, we write about it here.

Today we’re looking at PrepaidCardConnect, a new app from the Florida-based prepaid card provider FSV Payment Systems. The app is just over a year old, premiering November 29, 2011, but only recently has seen a large bump in downloads, rising to No. 38 on AppShopper’s list of most downloaded apps.

The app allows users to add prepaid cards and then control the card much as one controls a checking account with a banking app. Users can add funds, find ATMs, transfer funds, check the card balance, and more, via the app.

Although PrepaidCardConnect was updated last October, what accounts for the sudden bump in popularity? Prepaid is certainly a growing space, and the holidays are on the way, but the real mover could be that US Bank announced its acquisition of FSV Payment Systems on Nov. 27.

According to US Bank, upon completion of the acquisition, FSV will operate under US Bank’s Elan Financial Services brand. The acquisition is expected to close this month, pending regulatory approval. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

US Bank already offers a suite of prepaid cards, but FSV has experience in the prepaid market dating back to 1999. “FSV Payment Systems is one of the few integrated platforms developed specifically for the prepaid market and has the flexibility to serve our growing customer base,” said Tony Vuoto, executive vice president of US Bank Retail Payment Solutions, in a prepared statement.

PrepaidCardConnect’s popularity looks to be short-lived, but it’s still a win for FSV.