Safaricom to upgrade M-Pesa to new platform — Safaricom — “Following the upgrade, M-Pesa customers are set to benefit from an increase in the number of partners offering their services on the enhanced M-Pesa platform. This will be made possible through a new set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that will simplify the process of integration into M-Pesa, cutting down the time it takes from weeks to a few days, or even hours.”
A survey of consumer attitudes to emerging technologies has found that the majority of both US and European consumers now believe that using fingerprint scanning to pay for purchases is ‘cool’ — but UK and European consumers are divided on the idea of contactless shopping services like Amazon Go, with 40% considering the technology to be ‘cool’ and 31% seeing it as ‘creepy’... More
There’s now an Apple Pay smart debit card for kids — 9to5Mac — “With Greenlight, the money you give your child is divided into two categories: money they can spend anywhere, and money they can spend only at a store (or a kind of store) you’ve approved in advance… Greenlight is also turning on Apple Pay support for kids who can add the smart debit card to Apple’s Wallet service on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.”
Danske Bank launches digital pocket money — Danske Bank — “In the pocket money app, children can see when their pocket money is paid into their account and how their savings develop, while parents can use Mobile Banking to transfer money and keep an eye on their children’s pocket money… The solution includes a pocket money card, which can be used in ATMs, for payment in stores or online, if the parents allow this.”
BBVA brings Alipay to Spain — BBVA — “BBVA will integrate Alipay into the bank’s Smartpay service, which turns a cell phone into a means of payment… Stores already using the service simply need to update the Smartpay app to be able to accept payments with Alipay. BBVA is also working with the large chain stores in Spain to prepare them to accept payments with Alipay as early as possible.”
Macau’s ATMs are using facial recognition to help follow the money — Bloomberg — “Chinese bettors withdrawing money from some ATMs in Macau need to do more than punch in their PIN code. They also have to stare into a camera for six seconds so facial-recognition software can verify their identity and help monitor transactions… China UnionPay Co’s network is the first to use the software, which will be installed in all the city’s 1,200 cash dispensers.”
Opal card implanted into Sydney man Meow-Meow could be deactivated by NSW authorities — ABC News — “Transport authorities in New South Wales have threatened to deactivate an Opal card that has been implanted in a Sydney man’s hand… ‘Transport for NSW does not support the tampering or damaging of Opal Cards, which would be a breach of the terms of use,’ they said.”
AmEx cardholders in Canada are now able to make mobile payments using Android Pay, American Express has announced... More
A biometric ring could replace your passwords, cards and keys — Engadget — “With a fingerprint sensor on the inside, it can confirm that you’re the authorized user. Then, you slide on the ring, and an onboard IR optical sensor makes sure the device is still on your finger. As long as you have not taken it off, you can authorize transactions with a tap of your hand… Token transmits the authentication signal over NFC in most situations.”
Singapore banks to allow cellphone numbers for transfers — Nikkei Asian Review — “Customers will be able to send money instantly by supplying recipients’ mobile numbers linked to their bank accounts… The ABS aims to expand the service to include transactions between retail customers and businesses next year.”
NXP, Shanghai Unicom and Roam2Free collaborate to develop secure eSIM solution — NXP — PARTNER NEWS — “Complete solution combines mobile payment and ticketing with GSMA-compliant remote SIM activation for consumers to quickly add mobile subscriptions and cellular networks to their smartphones for better coverage and when traveling abroad”
Mastercard launches several new APIs for developers — Mastercard — “The enhanced suite of APIs includes new offerings focused on Masterpass QR, spend alerts and controls, Qkr! with Masterpass and chatbot solutions.”
Members of the general public who sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program can now download a pre-release edition of iOS 11, the latest version of Apple’s operating system for iPhone and iPad which brings with it support for NFC tag reading... More
Sydney man has Opal card implanted into hand to make catching public transport easier — ABC News — “Bio-hacker Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow, his legal name, had the Opal near-field communication (NFC) chip cut down and encased in bio-compatible plastic, measuring 1 millimetre by 6 millimetres. He then had the device implanted just beneath the skin on the side of his left hand. “It gives me an ability that not everyone else has, so if someone stole my wallet I could still get home,” he said.”
Beijing subway launches smartphone version of travel card — ECNS — “Starting Monday, subway travelers in the Chinese capital with NFC-enabled phones can leave their physical travel card at home and use their smartphone instead, Beijing Municipal Administration and Communications Card (BMAC) said… Beijing subway said the mobile pass function does not support iPhone because of Apple’s restrictions.”
Customers of Canada’s Scotiabank can now add, access and track their loyalty cards from 18 different programs using the bank’s mobile banking and My Mobile Wallet apps, which have been integrated with “multi-loyalty program functionality” supplied by loyalty network Points... More
Urban Airship analysis of retailers’ mobile wallet coupons and loyalty cards reveals widespread peer-to-peer sharing — Urban Airship — “Analysis of more than one million Apple Wallet coupons and loyalty cards of major retail brands shows that for every mobile wallet pass a customer installs, it is shared and added to 3.3 other mobile devices on average… More than three-quarters of retailers’ installed passes were the result of sharing versus being created and distributed through their marketing channels.”
Customers of US brewery Amplified Ale Works can now tap their NFC smartphones on beer coasters around the chain’s San Diego brewpub to go to a landing page where they can order Amplified beer online for home delivery... More
Bahrain to launch national e-wallet on July 4 — Trade Arabia — “The national e-wallet is a joint initiative of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and Benefit and a first-of-its-kind project in the kingdom. It will enable instant payments via smartphones and also facilitate the collection of payments electronically through debit, credit and prepaid cards and online bank accounts, for online and in-store purchases.”
Square gets green light to take on banks with ‘PIN on glass’ mobile technology — Australian Financial Review — “Banks are set to face more competition in the lucrative mobile point of sale technology game as secret trials featuring Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s payments company Square are set to help credit card companies allow more payments through smartphone screens.”