Google has launched a virtual reality headset that works in conjunction with smartphones supporting its Daydream mobile VR platform and uses NFC to connect the devices... More
Canada
Western Union launches P2P mobile app
Money transfer network Western Union has launched a mobile payment app in Canada to enable domestic and cross-border money transfers... More
Amex enables rewards purchases on Amazon
Canadian customers of American Express who are enrolled in the company’s Membership Rewards program can now pay for purchases using their reward points on Amazon... More
Study shows Canadians’ growing enthusiasm for mobile payments
Cash purchases will make up only 10% of money spent in Canada by 2030, claims research released by Moneris... More
Walmart to stop accepting Visa in Manitoba
Retail giant Walmart is to stop accepting Visa credit cards at its 16 stores in the Canadian province of Manitoba, beginning 24 October 2016... More
Toronto Film Fest gets VR and NFC payments with Visa
Visitors to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) are being given the opportunity to embark on a virtual shopping experience that enables them to enter a wardrobe studio to try on iconic costumes from famous movies, add items to a basket and pay using Visa Checkout... More
Amex enables loyalty points for purchases
American Express Canada is enabling cardmembers to use rewards points to pay for purchases charged to their card... More
Mobile QuickPass launches in Canada
Bankcard association UnionPay International has launched its host card emulation (HCE) and tokenization-based mobile payment service in Canada... More
Scotiabank gives Apple Pay users 10% cashback
Canada’s Scotiabank is offering its customers a 10% cashback on everyday purchases of up to US$20 whenever the payment is made using Apple Pay... More
Apple Pay adds 13 US banks
Apple has added a further 13 banks and credit unions to its list of Apple Pay supporting financial institutions in the US... More
Videotron launches SIM-based NFC mobile payments
Customers of Canadian mobile network operator Videotron with a Desjardins Visa card can now use their mobile phones to make NFC payments of up to $100 (US$77) at any contactless terminal... More
Canadian NFC mobile wallet SureTap to close down
The SIM-based NFC Canadian mobile wallet SureTap is to be discontinued in August 2016 due to “ongoing changes in the market”, the mobile wallet provider has announced. More
Samsung Pay to launch in Brazil this month
Samsung Pay will begin rolling out across Brazil on July 19, Samsung has confirmed, making it the first market in South America to introduce the mobile payment service. It will be supported by both MasterCard and Visa as well as Banco do Brasil, Brasil Pré-Pagos, Caixa, Porto Seguro, and Santander. More
TfL to license contactless ticketing system across the globe
Transport for London (TfL) is to begin licensing its contactless ticketing system to other major cities across the globe as part of a deal worth up to £15m with Cubic Corporation’s business unit Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS). More
Samsung Pay launches in Puerto Rico
Samsung Pay has gone live in Puerto Rico with support from Banco Popular, the country’s largest bank. The service is supported by MasterCard and Visa and is available from mobile network operators AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Claro. More
Canadian credit unions go live with Mobile Pay
Canadian credit unions Affinity and Conexus in Saskatchewan, First West in British Columbia and Meridian in Ontario have become the first to launch Mobile Pay, the host card emulation (HCE) mobile payment service developed by trade body the Canadian Credit Union Association... More
Starwood expands keyless entry to hotels worldwide
The Bluetooth-based mobile keyless entry solution unveiled by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide in November 2014 has been extended to select Le Méridien, Westin, Sheraton and Four Points hotels, with “many additional properties” expected to go live with SPG Keyless over the coming months... More
MintChip launches for in-store and P2P payments in Canada
Canadians can now use the MintChip virtual currency to send and receive money through a P2P mobile app and make payments at participating merchants in Toronto’s Liberty Village neighbourhood by scanning a barcode... More
Apple Pay to launch in France, Switzerland and Hong Kong and head to the web
Apple Pay is expanding to Switzerland, France and Hong Kong in the “next few months” and will be made available for online payments via an Apple Pay button that uses Touch ID for authentication, the company has announced during a keynote at its Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). More
Walmart Canada to stop accepting Visa due to high fees
Retail giant Walmart will stop accepting Visa credit card transactions in Canada from mid-July due to “unacceptably high” transaction fees... More