A new feature due to be added to Android 10 will make it possible for Google Pay users to quickly access details of all their stored payment cards from their lockscreen — and then easily select from the list the card they wish to use for their next transaction... More
WhatsApp in talks to launch mobile payments in Indonesia — sources — Reuters — “Unlike in India where it plans to offer direct peer-to-peer payment services, WhatsApp will simply serve as a platform in Indonesia supporting payments via local digital wallets due to tough licensing regulations… The Indonesia model could become a template for WhatsApp to adopt in other emerging markets to get around regulations on foreign players creating their own digital wallets, the sources said.”
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTA) says its new Omny open loop contactless payments system recorded its one millionth transaction on 8 August, “a remarkable milestone accomplished at a much higher usage rate than initially estimated”... More
Daimler Trucks has announced the successful completion of a proof-of-concept pilot of Truck Wallet, a machine-to-machine (M2M) payments service designed to enable vehicles to automatically pay for road tolls, electric charging and other services — without involving or interacting with the driver... More
Payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay will be used by US consumers to make transactions valued at a total of US$78.6bn this year, representing 1.6% of all US brick-and-mortar retail sales, according to a new forecast from 451 Research... More
Saudi Payments, Saudi Arabia’s national payments infrastructure operator, is to use a combination of NFC and contactless payments, a new faster payments system and the introduction of a common QR code platform to reduce the use of cash and speed up its move towards a cashless society, managing director Ziad Al Yousef has told NFCW... More
Telekom Slovenije launches the Valu smart wallet — Telekom Slovenije — “Valu smart wallet is available in Slovenia as a mobile app from 13 June, and combines in one place mobile payment services, transfer of funds between users, splitting the bill, as well as identification and use of local infrastructure services, such as purchasing Slovenian Railways train tickets… Valu also supports payments with a QR code (on Android and iOS devices) or NFC technology (Android devices).”
Coming in 2020: Calibra — Facebook — “Today we’re sharing plans for Calibra, a newly formed Facebook subsidiary whose goal is to provide financial services that will let people access and participate in the Libra network. The first product Calibra will introduce is a digital wallet for Libra, a new global currency powered by blockchain technology. The wallet will be available in Messenger, WhatsApp and as a standalone app — and we expect to launch in 2020.”
Half the world’s population to use digital wallets by 2024 — Juniper Research — “A new study from Juniper Research has found that the number of people using digital wallets will increase from 2.3bn this year to nearly 4bn, or 50% of the world’s population, by 2024. This in turn will push wallet transaction values up by more than 80% to more than $9tn per annum.”
$22b of bank revenue at risk from smartphone wallets: Morgan Stanley — The Australian Financial Review — “Smartphone digital wallets offered by Google, Apple and other technology giants will put A$22bn of revenue across the major Australian banks at risk, according to Morgan Stanley… Its analysts came to that figure after looking into how a banks’ payments capability influences decisions relating to other products. This includes transaction accounts that give major banks an opportunity to cross-sell customers more profitable products such as mortgages.”
Bank Indonesia launches national standard QR code — The Jakarta Post — “QRIS, which physically manifests as a more complex QR pattern, allows users from one payment service to transfer funds to any rival service within BI’s ecosystem. A customer using e-wallet service LinkAja, for example, could transfer funds to a shopkeeper using e-wallet OVO given at least one party has a QRIS code.”
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’.”
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
Brazilian transit operator MetroRio, which runs the Rio de Janeiro Metro, has begun the rollout of contactless payments in partnership with Visa, Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and Cielo, becoming the first transit operator in the world to use the new Visa Secure Access Module (SAM) technology as part of the project... More
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has begun testing a digital wallet that allows drivers to earn cryptocurrency credits in return for sharing information about traffic conditions such as jams and potholes — and then exchange them for a complimentary cup of coffee, parking charges or electric vehicle charging... More
Standard Chartered has become the first bank in Singapore to offer customers the ability to use its mobile banking app to apply for loans and credit cards — and, if approved, have a digital version of their new credit card instantly provisioned to their Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay digital wallet so they can make payments... More
Uber is to extend its partnership with PayPal to explore future commercial payment collaborations, including the development of a digital wallet for the on-demand transport firm... More
Visa is inviting issuers and processors to explore a new payments platform designed to “turn the transaction on its head” and “unlock an entirely new world of possibility when it comes to accessing, accruing and saving money”... More
Visa partners with Starbucks & Hardee’s to help promote the use of Apple Pay in KSA and UAE — MenaFN — “The promotion with Starbucks will allow Visa cardholders to upgrade the size of their latte, cappuccino or americano beverages if they pay through Apple Pay… The Hardee’s promotion will allow Visa cardholders to receive a free dessert when they buy any large meal of their choice using Visa with Apple Pay.”
Google Pay preparing to launch its digital wallet service in Israel — Haaretz — “Google plans to launch by the end of this year its Google Pay digital wallet platform and online payment system in Israel… The giant US company has been undertaking a round of meetings with regulators, bank executives, credit card companies and financial technology startups. The campaign, which involves a team from Google Israel, includes playing a role in Israel’s rapidly growing e-commerce sector as well as in brick-and-mortar retail.”