Passengers travelling on UK train services are to get more contactless and digital ticketing options across the rail network and will be able to buy tickets and access fare and timetable information via a single integrated website, the UK government has announced... More
United Kingdom
UK merchants get extra six months to implement strong customer authentication
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has extended the deadline for the implementation of strong customer authentication (SCA) for online purchases by a further six months... More
England rolls out digital vaccine certificates on NHS app
Residents of England who have been inoculated against Covid-19 can now use the National Health Service’s NHS App to access a digital certificate confirming their vaccine status on their iOS or Android device without needing to request certification from their GP... More
ABI forecasts open loop EMV transit ticketing payment cards to top 136m by 2025
The number of open-loop EMV contactless cards used to make transit ticketing payments worldwide will increase from 24.8m currently to 136.9m by 2025, according to an ABI Research forecast... More
ANA invites passengers with NFC phones to pilot IATA digital travel pass
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is to trial the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass app, enabling passengers on selected flights between Japan and the US to verify their identity and their Covid-19 test results at check-in on their NFC-enabled smartphone... More
Most UK retailers say strong customer authentication is not a key concern for post-pandemic recovery
Only one in six (12.8%) UK merchants rates the introduction of strong customer authentication (SCA) for online payments as a big business concern as the economy recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey published by Signifyd... More
German supermarket to trial anonymous checkout-free shopping
Customers at a supermarket in the German city of Cologne owned by retail giant Rewe will soon be able to enter the store by scanning a QR code, selecting the items they wish to buy and paying for them from their mobile phone without needing to scan their purchases or use a checkout... More
Aion Bank onboards personal and business customers via NFC
Consumers, retailers and other business customers can now remotely verify their identity when opening an account or applying for a loan with Belgium-based Aion Bank by scanning the contactless chip embedded in an ID document with their NFC smartphone or other mobile device and validating the information via a facial recognition check... More
Retail CBDC projects ‘particularly strong’ in emerging economies, PwC index shows
Projects to develop a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) for use by consumers and businesses are “more advanced” and “particularly strong” in emerging economies, according to analysis by global consultancy firm PwC... More
UK Treasury and Bank of England launch CBDC taskforce to explore digital currency options
The UK Treasury and the Bank of England have established a central bank digital currency (CBDC) taskforce to coordinate research into the benefits, risks and practicalities of introducing a digital pound... More
Stats show regional variations in UK adoption of contactless and mobile payments during pandemic
The number of payments made using Apple Pay and Google Pay increased by nearly 650% and the number of PIN-free contactless card transactions grew by more than 10% in certain regions of the UK, according to figures published by merchant payments provider Dojo... More
UK retailers explore facial analysis technology for customer age verification
Supermarkets, convenience stores and other retailers in the UK could soon begin trialling facial analysis technology that enables them to verify a customer’s age when purchasing alcohol at self-checkouts without requiring a staff member to check their ID... More
Visa reports 1bn extra contactless transactions in Europe since payment limit rises
Visa has processed 1bn additional PIN-less, touch-free payments since 29 countries across Europe increased contactless transaction limits in response to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the card network reports... More
NFC-enabled smart bandage aids healing, could detect Covid-19 symptoms, researchers say
Researchers at the University of Glasgow have developed a smart bandage incorporating wireless sensors and an NFC tag that can monitor a patient’s temperature and skin strain level, apply pressure to help a wound heal and transmit data to healthcare providers via a smartphone app... More
Developers adopt NFC tags to encourage plastic recycling
Consumers may soon be able to collect rewards at smart recycling points and kerbside collections for recycling plastic bottles and other reusable packaging fitted with NFC labels that uniquely identify each item... More
Care home pilots biometric digital health passport
Staff at the Warren Manor care facility in Blackpool in the UK are piloting a digital passport that enables them to verify their Covid-19 vaccination, test or recovery status when they arrive at their workplace by scanning their finger... More
Amazon opens its first cashierless store outside US in London
Amazon has opened its first cashierless grocery store outside the US on London’s Ealing Broadway, enabling consumers to access the store and pay for their purchases by downloading a QR code to their mobile device and scanning it at the shop entrance... More
UK to more than double contactless spending limit to £100
The UK is to increase the limit for contactless transactions from £45 (US$63) to £100 (US$140), the UK Treasury has announced... More
Mobile wallet transaction volumes overtake cash payments in stores
Contactless in-store payments made with a mobile wallet worldwide exceeded in-store cash payments for the first time during 2020, new research reveals... More
UK government publishes digital identity framework
The UK government has published a trust framework policy paper that lays out draft rules for how service providers, businesses and other organisations will be able to implement the use of digital identities... More