US iPhone users can now order a case containing an NFC microSD card online and use it to make payments with their mobile phone. An Android version will be added during the second quarter of 2012 and there are plans to make the technology available internationally from the end of the year. More
PayPass
Australasian TSM certified
ABnote’s TSM hubs in Ingleburn, Australia and Christchurch, New Zealand have been certified under MasterCard’s Mobile Partner Program... More
Turkcell launches NFC payments on BlackBerry phones
The Turkish mobile network operator has become the first in the world to offer its subscribers the ability to make payments with their NFC-enabled BlackBerry mobile phones. More
KDDI launches NFC in Japan
The mobile network operator will begin commercial NFC services from the end of January with partners including Japan Airlines, credit card issuers, loyalty programme providers and retailers. More
Intesa Sanpaolo begins NFC trial in Italy
The Italian financial institution’s new “Move and Pay” NFC payments service is being provided in conjunction with mobile service provider Noverca, in which Intesa is a shareholder. More
Visa certifies Samsung, LG and BlackBerry NFC phones for mobile payments
The Samsung Galaxy S II, LG Optimus Net NFC, BlackBerry Bold 9900/9790 and BlackBerry Curve 9360/9380 have now been added to the list of approved Visa payments products, enabling financial institutions to use them in commercial NFC deployments for the first time. More
Absa begins South Africa’s first NFC pilot
The trial will see five hundred bank staff using BlackBerry NFC smartphones to make MasterCard PayPass payments, and the technology used will in future also support the country’s national transportation ticketing technology. More
mFoundry to add NFC to mobile banking
Six hundred US financial institutions that use mFoundry’s mobile banking platform will be able to add NFC payments to their apps, following a deal signed between the technology provider and payments network MasterCard. More
Intel enters NFC market with MasterCard
The two companies are working together to increase the convenience and security of online purchasing from NFC-enabled Intel Ultrabook devices and future generations of Intel-based PCs. More
Schreiner stickers certified
MasterCard has certified secure labeling specialist Schreiner ProSecure‘s NFC-Sticker for use in contactless payments... More
Mobile payments arrive on BlackBerry phones
Carriers and banks around the world can now use the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the BlackBerry Curve 9360 smartphones to deliver MasterCard-approved NFC mobile payments services. More
RIM to switch on BlackBerry NFC mobile payments in Dubai
Subscribers of UAE-based network Etisalat are set to be among the first in the world to make mobile payments on their BlackBerry NFC phones. More
Updated: XDA devs add Google Wallet to original Nexus S?
Developers say they have come up with a way to add Google Wallet functionality, including a Google Prepaid Card carrying a free US$10 credit, to the original Nexus S NFC phone. More
OfficeMax goes live with Google Wallet
Customers can now use their NFC mobile phones to make payments, redeem coupons and receive rewards via Google SingleTap terminals installed at more than one hundred of the office supplies chain’s stores in five US regions. More
BMO rolls out sticker payments
BMO is to become the first major Canadian bank to issue contactless stickers to its customers, says Canoe.ca... More
Fime gets PayPass certification
NFC and contactless testing specialist Fime‘s Eval Test Suite has become the first to be qualified by MasterCard for PayPass 3.0, enabling the tool to be used to test contactless terminals for conformance to the payments network’s latest specifications... More
Google Wallet could launch today
Google is rumoured to be on the verge of launching its long-awaited NFC-based mobile wallet today. More
Cashless festivals to take off in 2012, with NFC to follow in 2013
Following the successful trial of Mastercard’s PayPass prepaid wristbands at the UK’s Isle of Wight Festival last June, cashless music events are set to take off in 2012 — with NFC in wide use by 2013. More
Georgian banks plan NFC payments launch in 2012
MasterCard is working actively with banks in Georgia with the aim of introducing a commercial NFC payments service in 2012, Kemal Uyan, MasterCard’s regional business development director in south east Europe, has told The Financial:... More
Google Wallet now in field testing
Google has been field testing its NFC payments service with a large group of users since late May and, from later this summer, anyone with a Nexus S 4G and a Sprint contract will be able to use their phone to make mobile payments at merchants that accept MasterCard PayPass. More