Customers at about 2,500 Starbucks locations across mainland China can now make mobile payments using Chinese internet giant Tencent’s WeChat Pay mobile payments platform by scanning a QR code at the point of sale... More
Retail
Apple Pay adds US and Australian banks
More than 30 banks and credit unions in the US have added their support for Apple Pay, as well as five more in Australia... More
German MNO begins SIM-based NFC mobile payments pilot
Vodafone Germany customers are testing NFC mobile payments using their Girocard — the most common debit card in the country — through Vodafone Wallet... More
Apple Pay targets US retail and transport expansion
Apple Pay is now accepted by 35% of US retailers, representing about 4m locations across the country, Apple VP Jennifer Bailey has revealed during the Re/code Code Commerce event in San Francisco... More
Android Pay launches in Ireland
Android Pay has launched in Ireland with support from Visa and Mastercard and banks AIB and KBC with “more banks being added in the coming months”, Google’s Pali Bhat writes... More
E-wallet added to Carrefour Romania app
Supermarket chain Carrefour Romania has integrated card transactions provider Romcard’s e-wallet into its Carrefour Pay mobile app... More
Alipay expands across Europe after deals with major banks and payment providers
Another 930,000 European merchants will soon accept Alipay mobile payments at the point of sale, following partnerships between the company and some of Europe’s largest financial institutions and payment service providers... More
Loyalty and gifts added to Apple Pay
Prepaid card provider Blackhawk Network is to integrate gift cards, egifts, loyalty and rewards programs into Apple Pay... More
Amazon Go store will let customers shop and go without checkout queues
Amazon employees in the US are testing a physical grocery store format that will use technology developed for self-driving cars to allow consumers with a dedicated mobile app to walk in, pick up the items they want and leave without going through a traditional checkout... More
Mastercard and Verifone unveil Instalments payments app
British consumers will be able to spread the cost of high-value in-store payments following a partnership between Mastercard and Verifone... More
Apple Pay launches in Spain
Apple Pay has been officially launched in Spain, with Apple developing partnerships with Banco Santander, payment giants American Express and Mastercard, retailer Carrefour and prepaid meal payment service Ticket Restaurant... More
In-store mobile payments take 0.6% Black Friday share
In-store mobile payments accounted for 0.6% of transactions made on Black Friday in the US, research released by payment technologies provider Cayan reveals... More
Mobile retail commerce to reach US$1,120bn by 2020
The value of global mobile retail commerce is set to reach US$1,120bn by 2020, up from US$415bn in 2016, a white paper released by Aite Group predicts... More
Twyp mobile payments app service to close in Netherlands
P2P mobile payments app Twyp is to be closed down in the Netherlands from 15 December 2016 after customers there said they “don’t need or want a separate app to make payments to friends”... More
Masterpass comes to 30,000 South African merchants after SnapScan deal
South Africans can now use Mastercard’s Masterpass digital wallet to pay for goods and services at more than 30,000 merchants accepting SnapScan in South Africa, using their mobile phones by scanning a QR code at the point of sale... More
Samsung Pay adds Singapore transport payments with EZ-Link
Samsung Pay users in Singapore can add their EZ-Link NFC SIM cards to compatible Samsung devices and pay for public transport as well as retail purchases, in the same way as they would using their plastic EZ-Link contactless transit card... More
Liquid Pay targets 25,000 retailers in Singapore with QR code mobile payments
Some 25,000 retail locations in Singapore are expected to accept a new mobile payment service within the next 12 months... More
Muji to accept Alipay in Chinese stores
Retail giant Muji is to accept Alipay mobile payments in nearly 200 stores in mainland China... More
Visa warns of ‘serious disruption’ to online payments from EBA proposal
Visa is warning a proposal from the European Banking Authority (EBA) requiring every online transaction over €10 (US$10.61) to have additional authentication steps at checkout will “seriously disrupt online shopping and cause inconvenience for consumers”... More
Covent Garden offers augmented reality gift for Christmas shoppers
London’s Covent Garden shopping district is showcasing what it claims to be the largest showcase of augmented reality (AR) technology attempted in one location, with Christmas shoppers offered exclusive offers, gift guides and immersive shopping experiences... More