Tinkoff turns its mobile banking app into a full-service digital marketplace

Tinkoff super-app boosts digital leadership in European fintech space — Tinkoff — “The super-app is both our own version of the App Store, with its own mini apps, and the first WeChat-like app in the Russian or any European financial market, featuring products and services from our partners… External partners can connect to the marketplace (via open API) using the ‘app-in-app’ model and offer targeted products and services within the Tinkoff app.”


Transit Ticketing Today

Garanti lets customers use its mobile banking app to top up their transit card

Istanbul travel card top-ups are fast, easy, and free with Garanti BBVA’s mobile app — BBVA — “To take advantage of this feature, customers simply need to register their card with the app. They can then add to the balance directly from their Garanti BBVA account, free of charge. Customers can also refill travel cards for friends and family.”




What's New in Payments

MUFG to use digital currency for mobile payments in Japan

MUFG digital currency finds second life as mobile payment — Nikkei Asian Review — “Users will convert funds from their bank accounts or elsewhere into the digital currency using a smartphone app. The service will use this currency in transactions, which will be handled through QR codes. Money sent via the app can be moved back into an account as cash, allowing for transfers between individuals.”


What's New in Payments

Hang Seng adds mobile cash withdrawals to Hong Kong ATMs

Hang Seng launches mobile cash withdrawal service — Hang Seng Bank — “Customers in Hong Kong can initiate cash withdrawal instructions on their mobile phones by using the Hang Seng Personal Banking mobile app and then collect their cash at the nearby Hang Seng ATM… At launch, all Hang Seng ATMs will support QR code cash withdrawals and over half will support both QR code and NFC cash withdrawals. NFC connectivity will be extended to all ATMs in the first half of 2020.”



Transit Ticketing Today

First Group reports on contactless and mobile ticketing adoption on UK bus services

Bus passengers turning to contactless in record numbers, says First Group — Yahoo! Finance — “More bus passengers paid with contactless and mobile apps rather than cash on First Group’s local bus routes for the first time in its history, the company has revealed. According to bosses, 43% of payments were made by cash, with 45% made through non-cash methods, in the latest push towards a cashless society. The remainder came from ticket sales via third parties.”



What's New in Payments

Bank of America adds face recognition to mobile banking app

Bank of America updates Android app to support Pixel 4 face unlock — 9to5Google — “Release notes for version 8.3.11 of Bank of America for Android prominently mentions the ‘Ability to sign in with face unlock (Pixel 4 only)’… After updating, you’ll need to enter your password one more time, and select the ‘Set up biometric sign-in’ checkbox. After completing BofA’s process, Pixel 4 face unlock will work on all subsequent sign-in attempts.”



What's New in Payments

Starling Bank lets customers use a single debit card to pay in multiple currencies

Starling Bank launches euro debit card so business and personal customers can spend in two currencies with one card — Starling Bank — “To start using the new Euro Card feature, Starling account holders, both business and personal, must open a euro account… Once it’s open, they can transfer money from their business account to their euro account with a single tap in the app… Their existing debit card can [then] be switched on (in-app) to operate in either pounds or euros, depending on the currency of the transaction.”