Swiss city of Zug to offer blockchain-based digital identity to residents — EconoTimes — “The city of Zug in Switzerland announced that it is the first community to offer all citizens of the city the opportunity to get a blockchain-based digital identity… With the digital ID, the residents can register their identity independently on the app and the identity is verified by the ID control of the town of Zug.”
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First battery-free cellphone makes calls by harvesting ambient power
First battery-free cellphone makes calls by harvesting ambient power — University of Washington — “University of Washington researchers have invented a cellphone that requires no batteries — a major leap forward in moving beyond chargers, cords and dying phones. Instead, the phone harvests the few microwatts of power it requires from either ambient radio signals or light.”
UnionPay reports growth in QR code mobile payment volumes
UnionPay reports growth in QR code mobile payment volumes — UnionPay International — “The cross-border transaction volume of mobile QuickPass, the UnionPay mobile payment product, doubled in the first half of this year. More notably, more overseas customers are using mobile QuickPass. The transaction volume of mobile QuickPass used locally in Hong Kong and Macau more than tripled and the transaction of mobile QuickPass by Hong Kong and Macau cardholders in mainland China grew by over seven times year-on-year.”
Stripe strikes global partnerships with China’s Alipay, WeChat Pay
Stripe strikes global partnerships with China’s Alipay, WeChat Pay — Reuters — “‘If you are an internet business this unlocks a new vast customer base,’ John Collison, Stripe’s president and co-founder, said in an interview. In turn, Chinese consumers will have expanded choice as to which international online merchants they can purchase products and services from, he added.”
Some Macau cash points deserted as face recognition technology kicks in at ATMs
Some Macau cash points deserted as face recognition technology kicks in at ATMs — South China Morning Post — “One casino employee, who works near an ATM which previously had long queues, said: “I used to see lots of people lining up at the ATMs before but they have vanished since the new machines were installed. Everyone must have gone looking for those without the cameras.”
LG’s mobile chief confident of payment tool
LG’s mobile chief confident of payment tool — Yonhap News — “The head of LG Electronics Inc’s mobile business said Wednesday the company plans to release its mobile payment platform LG Pay overseas in the future, expressing strong confidence over the service… LG Electronics said 38.4% of the tool’s users were in their 30s as of end June, while the number of those in their 50s and 60s was quickly increasing.”
WeChat Pay launches overseas open platform
WeChat Pay launches overseas open platform — Marbridge Daily — “Overseas merchants and service providers will be able to submit application materials online, receive a confirmation email, and sign a service contract online to begin using WeChat Pay. Applicants can also use the open platform to look up authorised overseas institutions and service providers that have partnered with WeChat Pay.”
EMVCo-specified universal QR code to be introduced in 4Q17
EMVCo-specified universal QR code to be introduced in 4Q17 — Digitimes — “EMVCo is specifying a universal QR code to facilitate tokenized mobile payments, and the global standard QR code is expected to be introduced to the Taiwan market in the fourth quarter of 2017, with prevailing use to kick off by the end of 2018 at the earliest, according to Visa Taiwan country manager Macro Ma.”
Apple tests 3D face scanning to unlock next iPhone
Apple tests 3D face scanning to unlock next iPhone — Bloomberg — “For its redesigned iPhone, set to go on sale later this year, Apple is testing an improved security system that allows users to log in, authenticate payments, and launch secure apps by scanning their face, according to people familiar with the product… The company is also testing eye scanning to augment the system, one of the people said.”
Synthetic fingerprints make plastic particles tiny security keys
Synthetic fingerprints make plastic particles tiny security keys — New Scientist — “Microscopic wrinkles squeezed onto the surface of tiny plastic particles could be used to create security keys that are impossible to duplicate… The particles could be used to verify a person’s identity instead of them using a security card, or their own fingerprint. The particles could also be fixed to a priceless piece of art so people can be sure it’s the real deal.”
Qualcomm and Vivo show off under-display fingerprint tech
Qualcomm and Vivo show off under-display fingerprint tech — ZDNet — “The US chip giant said the new solution, Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors, can be integrated underneath Oled displays and dunked in water. It also said the function works under metal and glass… Apple’s next iPhone is also rumoured to have the fingerprint sensor under the display.”
Safaricom to upgrade M-Pesa to new platform
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.”
Survey finds consumers view contactless shopping as both ‘cool’ and ‘creepy’
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
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 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 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
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
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.”
American Express goes live with Android Pay in Canada
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
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.”