Consumers using Cash by Optus — the prepaid NFC SIM-based payments service launched by Australian mobile network operator Optus in November 2014 — can now make payments using a contactless wristband or a sticker attached to their mobile phone. More
Prepaid
Walmart launches QR code mobile payments service in the US
Customers at US supermarket chain Walmart will soon be able to pay for purchases by scanning a QR code at the point of sale using Walmart Pay, the retailer’s own mobile payment service. Walmart Pay will be integrated into the Walmart app and introduced in select stores this month, with a nationwide launch expected in the first half of next year. More
Wirecard launches HCE payments in four European countries
German payments technology provider Wirecard has launched a host card emulation (HCE) based mobile payments service in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Belgium that will allow customers of any mobile network operator to make payments using their Android device at contactless terminals. More
Swatch confirms payment watch launch in US, Switzerland and Brazil
Swiss luxury watchmaker Swatch has confirmed that it has signed an agreement with Visa and Visa Europe to enable eligible cardholders in the US, Switzerland and Brazil to tap and pay with the Swatch Bellamy watch. More
India’s Oxigen Wallet to add virtual prepaid cards?
Indian mobile wallet provider Oxigen Wallet is in talks with Visa, MasterCard and RuPay over launching virtual prepaid cards in the country, Economic Times reports... More
PureWrist makes pitch for NFC payments bracelet
Wearable payments startup PureWrist has begun taking pre-orders for a bracelet that comes equipped with a prepaid MasterCard account and lets its wearer make NFC payments at any contactless terminal with a tap of the wrist. The company showcased the product during its StartupPitch180 presentation at Money20/20. More
MCX merchants to accept Chase Pay mobile payments
JP Morgan Chase has unveiled Chase Pay, a “closed loop network with access to credit and debit customers” that leverages the bank’s 94m debit, credit and prepaid card accounts, uses QR codes for mobile payments and will be accepted by all members of the MCX retailer-led mobile payments consortium. More
Telkom Indonesia to work with Sony to launch NFC mobile services
Telkom Indonesia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sony to develop an NFC platform based on Sony’s FeliCa technology that will let consumers in Indonesia use NFC mobile phones, smartcards and other devices for payments, rewards, access control and transit ticketing... More
Optus expands NFC payments to prepaid customers
Australian carrier Optus has made its NFC mobile payment service available to prepaid customers, following its launch to postpaid customers in November 2014... More
Citrus Pay enables in-store mobile payments via gift cards
Indian payment services provider Citrus Pay has announced a partnership with gift card solutions provider Qwikcilver to enable its 17m users to make in-store mobile payments using a gift card or voucher generated in Qwikcilver’s Woohoo mobile gifting app... More
Indian banks to test mVisa mobile payments in Bangalore
India’s Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and State Bank of India (SBI) are to pilot a mobile payment service developed by Visa this summer that will let select customers make in-store, online and bill payments as well as send and receive money using their mobile devices. More
Apple to show ads based on prepaid balance?
Apple could begin sending targeted advertising to users based on the amount of prepaid funds they have available, according to a newly published patent application... More
Gemalto and InComm to deliver prepaid contactless cards to mobile devices
PARTNER NEWS: Digital security specialist Gemalto has partnered with prepaid card provider InComm to enable mobile wallet providers to offer prepaid NFC mobile payment services... More
MLB offers Apple Pay rewards
Visitors to the 2015 MLB All-Star Game festivities in Cincinnati have the chance to win a Priceless Surprise when using Apple Pay for purchases... More
Semble adds Snapper public transport payments to mobile wallet
Users of New Zealand’s NFC mobile wallet Semble will be able to pay for public transport using the app through a partnership with prepaid transit card provider Snapper... More
Barclaycard launches second generation bPay wearable payment devices
Barclaycard has unveiled a second generation of its bPay wristbands and is to add contactless-enabled keyfobs and stickers to the range of bPay devices that will be made available for purchase on 1 July. More
PayRange raises $12m for vending machine payments via Bluetooth
Digital payments enabler PayRange has secured US$12m in Series A funding to drive mobile payment acceptance in the vending machine industry with a plug-in dongle called BluKey... More
SEQR prepares for summer UK launch
Swedish firm Seamless is preparing to roll out its mobile payments solution SEQR in the UK, with the first merchants expected to begin using the service at the end of the summer... More
Spanish supermarket chain Bonpreu rolls out mobile payments to 170 stores
Spanish supermarket chain Bonpreu is to roll out a mobile payments service to 170 stores, using a platform developed by Dinube that combines proprietary tokenization algorithms, NFC and biometric fingerprint security... More
The Bancorp to offer HCE prepaid cards to European issuers
Financial products and services provider The Bancorp will offer open loop mobile prepaid cards that make use of host card emulation (HCE) to its European issuers in the fourth quarter of this year, through a partnership with mobile payment provider MeaWallet... More