Samsung Pay users in the USA are no longer able to earn Samsung Rewards points each time they make a purchase using the payments service... More
Loyalty
7-Eleven launches mobile wallet that customers can load with cash in stores
Customers in 7-Eleven convenience stores across the USA can now make contactless payments at the checkout using a mobile wallet that the retail giant has added to its 7-Eleven app... More
Japanese airline turns to mobile payments to boost revenues during Covid-19
Frequent flyers with All Nippon Airways (ANA) will soon be able to make in-store purchases and accumulate air miles by using a QR code-enabled mobile payments service that the Japanese airline is to launch “amid shrinking travel demand due to the coronavirus outbreak,” Japan Today reports... More
Stocard rolls out mobile payments service in four more European countries
Leading European mobile loyalty wallet provider Stocard has expanded its Stocard Pay service to users in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, enabling them to make in-store NFC payments in addition to using the wallet to access loyalty cards and redeem rewards... More
Google Pay to launch mobile-first bank accounts in the USA in 2021
Consumers in the USA will be able to open mobile-first checking and saving accounts with 11 banks and credit unions from within Google Pay from 2021, Google has revealed in a blog post that also announces the launch of a redesigned version of the Google Pay app for both Android and iOS... More
JR East to offer extra loyalty points to transit card users travelling off-peak
Commuters on JR East train services in the Tokyo metropolitan area who pay for their tickets using a commuter pass stored on their Suica transit card will receive additional JRE loyalty points for travelling outside peak times from March 2021... More
Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes to install digital menu boards across USA and Canada
Customers at Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes fast food outlets will be able to order meals, earn loyalty rewards and make contactless payments at digital menu boards being rolled out to 10,000 redesigned drive-thru locations across the USA and Canada... More
Walgreens lets customers pay with points at the POS
Customers of Walgreens in the USA can now use their payment card loyalty points to make full or partial payments for purchases they make in stores... More
Philippe Starck designs NFC payments ring
Iconic designer Philippe Starck has created a smart ring that can be used to store payment cards and transport passes, make contactless payments, and transfer business and ID information... More
Razer pilots prepaid card that lights up when used for contactless payments
Users of Razer Pay, a digital wallet operated by gaming lifestyle brand Razer in Singapore, are taking part in the beta test of a premium prepaid card that lights up whenever a contactless payment is made... More
Amazon lets customers pay with their palm at two US retail stores
Customers shopping at two Amazon Go outlets in Seattle, USA, can now gain access to the convenience stores and pay for their purchases by simply placing their palm over a contactless palm scanning device installed at the entrance... More
Google Pay streamlines user interface
Google Pay users can now access and add their payment, loyalty and gift cards, passes and transit tickets to the app via a new streamlined user interface that simplifies navigation... More
ABI forecasts $7.2bn market for wearable payment devices
The market for payment-enabled wearable devices will reach US$7.2bn in 2024, “driven by a surge in contactless payment adoption, as a result of growing usage of contactless cards and near field communication (NFC)-enabled mobile payments,” ABI Research predicts.... More
The Lowry Hotel pilots NFC payments on graphene till receipts
The Lowry Hotel in Manchester, UK, is piloting a graphene-based contactless payment system that enables restaurant customers to pay their bill by tapping their smartphone on a till receipt imprinted with an electronic antenna... More
Singtel adds rewards to Dash mobile wallet
Users of Singapore mobile network operator Singtel’s Dash mobile wallet can now earn reward points for each in-store and online payment and every overseas remittance they make using the service... More
UMB Bank lets cardholders pay with points
UMB Bank customers in the US can now opt to use their rewards points balance to pay for any in-store purchases they make with their UMB Visa debit or credit card... More
California merchants roll out facial verification payments system
Retail outlets and restaurants in the California city of Pasadena have adopted a hands-free payments service which enables consumers to make purchases and earn loyalty rewards using facial recognition technology... More
Citadele adds support for contactless payments rings
Baltic banking group Citadele is offering customers in Latvia the option of ordering a payments ring that they will be able to use to make payments at any merchant equipped to accept contactless payments... More
Amazon unveils self-checkout shopping trolleys
Amazon has unveiled Dash Cart, a smart shopping trolley that automatically tracks the items shoppers place in their trolley as they shop — and then lets them simply exit the store when they have completed their shopping, with no need to visit a physical checkout... More
Carrefour integrates its loyalty card with Apple Pay
Supermarket giant Carrefour has become the first retailer in Europe to integrate its customer loyalty programme with Apple Pay, enabling shoppers both to pay for their purchases and collect loyalty points with a single tap of their iPhone or Apple Watch... More