The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation “to assess whether Apple’s conduct in connection with Apple Pay violates EU competition rules”. More
- Apple Pay users in the US to get buy now pay later option with iOS 16
- BIS reports on CBDCs in emerging markets
- Moroccan bank launches biometric payment card
- US digital bank introduces contactless payments rings
- Riksbank completes digital currency payments pilot
DCBank backs ‘reverse ATMs’ that turn cash into prepaid Mastercards
Canada’s DCBank has partnered with technology supplier XTM to provide shopping malls and entertainment venues with ‘reverse ATMs’ that let customers instantly convert their physical money into a prepaid Mastercard they can then use to make payments at cashless points of sale. More
Russian grocery retailer uses cashierless shopping technology to create an automated store-within-a-store
Russian grocery retailer Azbuka Vkusa has converted an aisle within one of its Moscow supermarkets to a cashierless store-within-a store, enabling shoppers to use their mobile phone to check in at the entrance to the aisle, add their shopping to their basket and “simply exit when done”. More
ATM industry publishes plan to combat the decline of cash withdrawals
The ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) has published an ATM and Cash Revival Plan “for an ATM industry hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. More
CaixaBank rolls out facial recognition ATMs across Spain
Spain’s CaixaBank is to deploy ATMs equipped with facial recognition technology nationwide “with the goal of offering a better user experience and greater security in transactions, particularly in the context of Covid-19”... More
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Taiwan to issue stimulus credits to contactless cards and mobile phones
Taiwan is to introduce a Triple Stimulus voucher programme that will enable residents to buy NT$3,000 (US$100) worth of shopping vouchers for NT$1,000 (US$33.34) — or receive an equivalent cashback credit to their card or mobile wallet... More
Japanese banks and card issuers join digital currency study group
Three of Japan’s largest banking groups have signed up to participate in a study group that aims to build a “digital settlement infrastructure using valuable digital currencies”... More
Axis Bank lets Indian merchants accept contactless payments on standard NFC phones
Axis Bank has become the first in India to offer merchants the ability to accept NFC, contactless, QR and remote payments on standard smartphones. More
South Korea to use QR track and trace apps to combat spread of Covid-19
A new system that requires high-risk locations such as bars and nightclubs to use QR codes to log all customers on entry so that they can be easily traced should the venue later be found to have been a Covid-19 hotspot is to be rolled out across South Korea from 10 June... More
Samsung Money to go live in the US this summer
A new Samsung Money by SoFi service due to launch in the US “later this summer” will provide “a mobile-first money management experience that brings a cash management account and a Mastercard-branded debit card along with exclusive benefits into Samsung Pay,” the company has announced... More
Google pilots voice-based payments
Google is piloting a new service that lets Google Assistant users confirm payment for a purchase with just their voice... More
India to open antitrust investigation into Google Pay?
The Competition Commission of India is looking into allegations that Google is unfairly promoting its mobile payments app in the country, “five sources familiar with the case” have told Reuters... More
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Morocco boosts contactless transaction limit by 100%
Morocco’s bank-owned payment acquirer, Centre Monétique Interbancaire (CMI), has raised the contactless transaction limit in the country from 200 to 400 dirhams (US$40) in response to the coronavirus crisis... More
Dejamobile launches white label solution for contactless payments acceptance on standard NFC devices
PARTNER NEWS: Dejamobile has launched a white label solution that enables merchants to be provided with the ability to accept EMV contactless and digital payments on standard NFC phones and tablets — with no additional hardware required... More
Financial Conduct Authority to add new protections for consumers’ funds
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is to tighten up its regulations “to ensure payments firms are adequately protecting customer funds” amid concerns that the impact of Covid-19 will affect their financial viability. More
Interac reports surge in digital payments adoption
Since mid-March, first-time users of Interac’s e-Transfer service have increased by 43% and the average number of transactions has increased by 9% compared to the same time last year, the Canadian domestic debit card network provider has revealed. More
Bitkom reports major switch in German attitudes to contactless payments
Seven in ten German consumers would now like to have more opportunities to use contactless payments and 75% are trying to avoid cash payments “as often as possible”, a new survey has found. More
Swedish government regulates online payment options
A new amendment to the Swedish Payment Services Act means that online merchants must now present non-credit options ahead of any options that involve the consumer taking out credit. More
Tappy demo shows how brands can add contactless payments to wearables
PARTNER NEWS: A product demo that shows how brands can use Tappy’s wearable payment technology to let customers add their preferred payment card to a wide range of traditional watches, key fobs, rings and other battery-free devices is now available to view in the NFCW Knowledge Centre... More
Leaked images show how Apple Pay QR codes may look
Apple is preparing to introduce its own QR codes later this year, leaked files shared with former Techcrunch reporter Josh Constine suggest... More