Google Wallet has been quietly inking deals with a host of e-commerce companies that provide an array of functionality and services.

So what are these companies all about? What follows is a rundown of Google Wallet’s 11 public partners, and in aggregate they say something about the direction the digital wallet venture is taking:

• Branding Brand is a platform that powers mobile commerce sites for major retailers such as Crate & Barrel and Ralph Lauren.
• CardinalCommerce authenticates payments and secures transactions for mobile and online commerce.
• Gigya provides social infrastructure on an enterprise level, connecting e-commerce sites to social networks.
• The Mad-X platform from Mad Mobile uses desktop assets to build mobile experiences for brands such as Office Depot and Major League Baseball.
• Moovweb is another service that builds mobile commerce experiences, for brands such as Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.
• NovaDine provides online and mobile ordering systems for the food and beverage industry.
• Olo provides mobile and online ordering technology to national restaurant groups. Olo has about 150 restaurant brands on its customer list presently.
• Skava offers a hosted technology platform that powers mobile commerce, Facebook commerce, tablet commerce, in-store digital commerce, and enhanced e-marketing for traditional e-commerce retailers.
• Snapfinger also focuses on the restaurant industry, but this company actually takes orders — takeout orders, that is. Hungry customers can order online or via mobile device. The company launched in 2004, and facilitates ordering from more than 28,000 restaurants, the company says.
• Unbound Commerce provides mobile commerce solutions to retailers. Google inked its deal with Unbound last September.
• Usablenet builds mobile and multi-channel applications for other companies. Useablenet says it facilitates mobile and multi-channel customer engagement for more than 350 clients.