Members of the Cool Chain Association (CCA) have completed a pilot test of an NFC-based solution to the problem of how to monitor refrigerated fresh produce in transit to ensure it has been maintained at the correct temperature and will still have a good shelf life when it arrives in stores... More
The UK’s NatWest bank has launched a new service that will let consumers pay online merchants directly from their bank accounts, “saving merchants at least 25% of card processing costs”. More
Ithmaar Bank launches biometric ATM network — Trade Arabia — “Ithmaar Bank customers are no longer required to use their cards at the bank’s ATMs. Instead, they can simply use their fingerprint along with their PIN to process financial transactions… To use the service for the first time, customers will need to register their fingerprint data at their nearest branch. The one-time registration only takes a few minutes and allows customer immediate access to the new service.”
Chase and Visa provide an easier way to get around New York City with a tap — Visa — “More than two-thirds (67%) of riders have missed a train while waiting in line to reload a transit card, according to a recent Visa survey of more than 1,000 New Yorkers who take public transportation. Eight out of ten (83%) people surveyed said they have had trouble getting their transit card to work at the turnstile. And two-thirds (66%) have left or forgotten funds on a transit card, at an average of $35.10 lost.”
STMicroelectronics joins Car Connectivity Consortium — STMicroelectronics — “As a leading long-time, trusted supplier to the top players in both the smartphone and automotive industries, ST shares an interest in the mission of the CCC, which aims to make it possible and hassle-free to simply connect and ride… ST’s technology portfolio features many segments well suited to automotive connectivity and the aims of the CCC, including ST25 NFC readers, ST33 Secure Elements, STA12 Accordo infotainment processors, STA13 Telemaco vehicle processors, and Stellar vehicle gateway/domain microcontrollers.”
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Inside the Apple Card: Mastercard’s ‘digital first, physical optional’ platform — PaymentsSource — “Following about 18 months of secretive development with Apple and Goldman Sachs, Mastercard is ready to bring the same offering to other issuers. Its platform carries over many of the features that Apple Card users will get, according to Chris Reid, Mastercard’s executive vice president of cyber intelligence and data services for North America.”
Facebook plans to launch ‘GlobalCoin’ currency in 2020 — BBC — “Facebook wants to create a digital currency that provides affordable and secure ways of making payments, regardless of whether users have a bank account. The social networking site, which owns WhatsApp and Instagram, is hoping to disrupt existing networks by breaking down financial barriers, competing with banks and reducing consumer costs.”
Ticketek contactless tickets on iPhone and Apple Watch go live — TEG — “Ticketek, the Australian leader in ticketing, announced today [that] Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane is Australia’s first sport and entertainment stadium to offer convenient and fast contactless tickets on iPhone and Apple Watch… Contactless tickets on iPhone and Apple Watch will be rolled out to further venues across Australia in the coming months.”
RBI publishes ‘Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019 — 2021’ — Reserve Bank of India — “The Payment Systems Vision 2021, with its 36 specific action points and 12 specific outcomes, aspires to (a) enhance customer experience, including robust grievance redressal; (b) empower payment system operators and service providers; (c) enable the payments ecosystem and infrastructure; (d) put in place forward-looking regulations; and (e) undertake risk-focused supervision.”
Apple Pay will soon launch in 16 more countries, including Bulgaria and Croatia — MacRumors — “Mobile banking service Monese has revealed that Apple Pay is also coming soon to its cardholders in Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia… Apple Pay is also nearing launch in the Netherlands, Hungary, and Luxembourg for a total of 16 upcoming countries.”
Australian ‘big four’ bank NAB adopts Apple Pay, Westpac lone holdout — AppleInsider — “National Australia Bank (NAB) on Monday announced immediate support for Apple Pay, becoming the third of Australia’s ‘big four’ banks to integrate with Apple’s payments platform after a failed boycott… With NAB on board, Westpac becomes the last of Australia’s ‘big four’ banks to resist Apple Pay.”
Portland-Vancouver’s Hop Fastpass becomes first transit fare card in North America on iPhone — TriMet — “Starting today, riders in the Portland-Vancouver region can add a Hop Fastpass card to Apple Wallet and use their iPhone and Apple Watch to ride TriMet, C-Tran and Portland Streetcar.”
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ABN Amro to launch Forcefield — ABN Amro — “The platform can communicate with physical trade inventories through the Internet of Things, sensors and near field communication chips. As a result, the inventories, which are often collateral for loans, can be monitored very effectively, which will lead to more secure physical handling processes and a reduction of costs.”
Apple Pay launches in Hungary and Luxembourg — MacRumors — “In Luxembourg, BGL BNP Paribas is currently the sole bank supporting Apple’s digital wallet, while OTP Bank is supporting Apple Pay in Hungary… The expansion within Europe follows the launch of Apple Pay in Iceland earlier this month. Elsewhere, regional banks in The Netherlands and Portugal have teased that Apple’s contactless payment system is ‘coming soon’.”
About Omny — The MTA — “Starting on May 31, 2019, you can use Omny onboard all Staten Island buses and at all subway station entrances on the 4, 5, and 6 lines between Grand Central-42 Street and Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr. All remaining bus routes, subway stations, and Staten Island Railway locations will be equipped by late 2020. You will be able to use Omny for commuter rail by early 2021.”
Ukraine’s PrivatBank has become the first in the world to provide customers with a way to customise the design of the cards they add to Google Pay or Apple Pay — beginning with a set of X-Men: Dark Phoenix original designs made available via a licensing deal with movie studio 20th Century Fox... More
Tap to pay is taking off — Visa — “Globally, adoption continues to see strong growth with nearly half of all face-to-face Visa transactions occurring with a tap outside the US. In the last year, nearly 50 countries have seen a 10 point or greater increase in tap-to-pay penetration of all domestic face-to-face transactions.”
Google’s new plan to push Google Pay in India: cashback incentives in Android apps — Techcrunch — “The company has built an in-app engagement rewards platform that promises to help developers and businesses retain users and drive engagement on their apps, two sources familiar with the matter said… Sitting at the core of this new play is Google Pay, which will be used for transactions between businesses and users, thereby expanding the reach of Google’s payment service.”
Ticketmaster customers will be able to add contactless tickets to Apple Wallet later this year, enabling their tickets to be automatically selected via NFC when they hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a ticket reader... More
Despite greater than ever use of smart devices for banking and payments and a desire for the latest technologies, Europeans are some of the most cautious adopters, according to a survey of 15,000 consumers in Europe, America and Australia. More