PARTNER NEWS: STMicroelectronics has introduced an NFC transceiver that lets consumer electronics and other device makers add NFC tag reading and card emulation mode capabilities to their products “at a highly competitive price”... More
Apple has revealed further details of how its new digital car keys for iOS 15 will use both ultra wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to let motorists lock, unlock and start their vehicle without having to take their iPhone out of their bag or pocket... More
Consumers in the US can now receive a US$2.50 credit to their mobile wallet that they can use to buy a Coca-Cola beverage at any restaurant that accepts card payments... More
The UK government is to explore the implementation of walk-through “contactless corridors” at airports and other entry points to the country that will enable passengers to verify their identity using biometrics rather than their passport... More
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is launching “a comprehensive study” that will explore the use cases, benefits and risks of developing a digital Hong Kong dollar as a central bank digital currency (CBDC)... More
El Salvador has become the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, allowing citizens to use the cryptocurrency to make payments for goods and services as well as pay their tax bills and receive remittances from abroad... More
PARTNER NEWS: Timex Group has officially launched a range of watches and watch straps that let the wearer make tokenized payments at any merchant equipped to accept Visa contactless payments... More
Financial inclusion, creating a competitive ecosystem, comparison with other payment innovations, user privacy and monetary and financial stability will be the five core principles that guide the Bank of England’s future exploration and development of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the UK, the financial institution has revealed... More
PARTNER NEWS: Antelop Solutions has introduced a new solution that makes it possible for banks and card issuing processors to use a single software development kit to add all the very latest digital card features to their mobile banking apps... More
Workers on a construction site on Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus in Scotland can now verify their identity and gain access to the site using only their face... More
Passengers with an Android NFC phone can now make tap-and-go fare payments on public transportation services in the Washington DC area in the US by adding a SmarTrip transit card to Google Pay... More
Apple iPhone users will soon be able to store digital versions of their identity documents and a wider range of digital keys in their Wallet app, enabling them to prove their identity and tap to unlock their home, garage, workplace or hotel room with their smartphone... More
EMVCo has issued a new specification bulletin that makes it mandatory for contactless payment terminal suppliers to make use of IQ demodulation techniques in order to receive EMVCo certification... More
The European Union has confirmed that it plans to introduce an EU-wide digital wallet that will enable all EU citizens to link their national digital identity with other personal attributes including their driving licence, diplomas and bank account details and store them on their mobile phone... More
Passengers travelling on three inter-regional bus routes in South Korea’s Gyeonggi-do province can now test a ‘tagless’ fare payment system that enables them to pay for their tickets without needing to tap an onboard contactless reader with their transit card or smartphone... More
Passengers travelling on Brescia Mobilità buses in the northern Italian city and 14 surrounding municipalities can now make contactless fare payments with their credit or debit card or from a digital wallet on their NFC phone or smart watch... More
Contactless payments technology is causing “a sizable increase in the use of debit cards for small-value payments”, but is having an “economically small and statistically insignificant” impact on the use of cash and cash demand, according to a study conducted by the World Bank... More
Seven European countries — Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece and Poland — have begun issuing the European Union’s Digital Covid Certificate one month ahead of the full 1 July rollout announced last week... More
Sweden’s central bank The Riksbank is to begin testing its e-krona central bank digital currency (CBDC) with external partners to assess how a digital krona would operate within a real world banking and payments infrastructure... More
The European Union is set to reveal plans for a digital wallet that will enable citizens in all 27 member states to store identity documents such as their driving licence, payment details and passwords and to access a range of private and public services with a single online ID, according to a report in the Financial Times... More