What's New in Payments

Mastercard to let Indian merchants accept payments on NFC phones

Mastercard to launch solution for smartphones to become contactless acceptance devices — The Hindu BusinessLine — “If your phone has NFC, then it can become a point-of-sale (POS) device. A customer can tap the contactless card on the phone,” said Vikas Saraogi, vice president of acceptance development at Mastercard, adding that it is likely to be launched in India in the first half of next year.”


What's New in Payments

Uber moves into financial services with new Uber Money division

Uber announces deeper push into financial services with Uber Money — CNBC — “The company announced on Monday the formation of a new division called Uber Money to house its efforts, which include a digital wallet and upgraded debit and credit cards. The emphasis, at first, will be expanding Uber’s efforts to give its four million-plus drivers and couriers around the world access to a mobile bank account so they can get paid after each ride. Uber could one day offer a bank account to consumers on its platform, according to Uber Money head Peter Hazlehurst.”


Transit Ticketing Today

Zhengzhou Metro rolls out face recognition ticketing

Face-scanning metro check-in and payment launched in central China — Xinhua — “Zhengzhou Metro in central China’s Henan Province has ushered in the face-scanning era, as a new check-in and payment system based on facial recognition was launched on Friday… It is the first face-scanning metro check-in and payment system in the country launched along a full metro line, providing passengers with a better experience of quick pass access and automatic ticket buying.”


What's New in Payments

China to move to common QR payments standard

In depth: The fight for dominance in China’s mobile payment market — Caixin Global — “Under the plan, by the end of 2021 all merchants will be able to use one universal barcode to facilitate transactions through different payment service providers, including banks, Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat Pay. Currently, payment providers issue different barcodes that can be used only on their own services.”


What's New in Payments

Amazon to make its cashierless Go technology available to other merchants?

Amazon is in talks to bring its cashierless Go technology to airports and movie theaters — CNBC — “Amazon is in talks to bring the cashierless technology that runs its Go stores to other retailers like airport shops and movie theatres, according to people familiar with the matter… The idea is to start installing the technology working for customers in the first quarter of 2020 and have hundreds of these stores working by the end of 2020, two of the people said. One person said Amazon hopes to have the upgrade process take just two weeks.”


What's New in Payments

Payments networks to drop support for Facebook’s Libra digital currency?

Visa, Mastercard, others reconsider involvement in Facebook’s Libra network — The Wall Street Journal — “Visa Inc, Mastercard Inc and other financial partners that signed on to help build and maintain the Libra payments network are reconsidering their involvement following a backlash from US and European government officials, according to people familiar with the matter.”


Transit Ticketing Today

Capital Metro adds Apple Pay and Google Pay to mobile ticketing app

CapMetro releases new version of its app — Capital Metro — “Earlier this week, Capital Metro rolled out a new, more intuitive version of the CapMetro app. The highly rated app allows customers to pay for their tickets on the go, stay up to date on where their bus is, and map out their entire itinerary. New features include: Easy fare/pass purchasing; Convenient Apple Pay and Google Pay; Quicker pass access; Faster real-time tracking; More robust trip planner.”


Transit Ticketing Today

Guangzhou Metro pilots facial recognition at ticket barriers

South China city subway adopts facial recognition — Xinhua — “Instead of using tickets or swiping their smartphones, passengers can smile at a screen to unlock the electric gates in about half a second after completing a real-name registration on Guangzhou Metro’s official mini-program on WeChat, China’s popular social media platform, or on the ‘Guangzhou Metro’ mobile app. The fee will be deducted from the payment methods that subway riders previously register and validate through their mobile phones.”


What's New in Payments

Facebook to partner with banks for WhatsApp payments rollout?

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.”


NFC World

Google rolls out NFC Titan Security Keys to Canada, France, Japan and UK

Titan Security Keys are now available in Canada, France, Japan, and the UK — Google — “Titan Security Keys are built with a hardware chip that includes firmware engineered by Google to verify the keys’ integrity. Each key leverages FIDO standards to cryptographically verify your identity and URL of the login page, preventing an attacker from accessing your account even if you are tricked into providing your username and password.”


NFC World

CryptoKaiju launches Cryptokitty toys with NFC

Wouldn’t you like a Real CryptoKitty? — Decrypt — “The 7.5 inch CryptoKitties each have a unique identity and are traceable on the blockchain. Look underneath the toy’s foot, and you’ll see a tamper-proof, near field communication (NFC) tag, with a unique serial number. Doting owners can interact with the chip, using a smartphone or other device, to access details about their toy’s unique characteristics.”


NFC World

DHL tracks temperature-sensitive medical supplies with NFC

New logistics technologies introduced at DHL Global Chicago hub — Healthcare Packaging — “Using near field communication (NFC) technology, sensors log in-transit ambient environmental temperature conditions during shipping, functioning at temperatures between -40 and +60 degrees Celsius. The sensors allow uploading of temperature data directly to the DHL mobile app and LifeTrack web portal, making them cost effective and easy to use without the need for specific scanners or devices… DHL has seen a 40% increase in operational capabilities using these scanners.”


NFC World

Apple demos NFC tag reading for Apple Card activation

Titanium Apple Card activation with background NFC tag reading — Ata Distance — “Apple has posted two videos for activating the Titanium Apple Card: a video for A12 Bionic iPhone XR/XS with background NFC tag reading, and a video for non-A12 Bionic iPhones without background NFC tag reading ability. This marks the first time Apple has put A12 Bionic background NFC tag reading ability to use, almost a year since the new functionality appeared.”


NFC World

ShipChain to use NFC to track temperature-sensitive shipments on the blockchain

ShipChain and GTX Corp launch global NFC blockchain shipment tracking solution — ShipChain — “The NFC tags provide real-time temperature sensing and data logging across the supply chain necessary with transportation of perishables; food, drinks, pharmaceuticals and other temperature-sensitive products that can be negatively affected by conditions in transit. These built-in security measures can prevent the distribution of contaminated supplies in the marketplace and unauthorised modification of data logs, allowing brands, retailers, distributors, and freight forwarders to verify shipment quality.”



Transit Ticketing Today

Tencent reports 100 million transit ticketing mini-app users

100 million transit riders are paying with WeChat mini-program: Tencent — Caixin Global — “Ride Code allows subway and bus riders to pay for transit fares with QR codes directly upon boarding in various Chinese cities. At subway stations, that means showing your barcode at the turnstile. Riders do not need to visit ticket kiosks as the fare is deducted from their WeChat Pay wallet.”


What's New in Payments

Mastercard pilots blockchain product provenance platform

Mastercard enables luxury shoppers to purchase with confidence — Mastercard — “Consumers will be able to shop the exclusive Rodarte pieces at Fred Segal Sunset with the ability to scan a QR code on the garment’s tag to trace each step of the product journey. Consumers who purchase from Fred Segal’s online store can learn more about the product journey and verify authenticity by scanning the QR code when their package arrives at home.”


What's New in Payments

Apple Card begins to roll out in the US

The Apple Card starts rolling out today — The Verge — “Apple says a random selection of people who signed up to be notified about the Apple Card will be invited to sign up today… The signup process, which requires iOS 12.4, involves entering your address, birthday, income level and last four digits of your Social Security number. That information is sent to Goldman Sachs, which will approve or decline your application in real time… Once you’ve been approved, your new card will show up in your Apple Wallet immediately.”


What's New in Payments

Samsung lets Canadian merchants accept contactless payments on Galaxy smartphones

Samsung Pay Touch app turns your Galaxy smartphone into a PoS terminal — SamMobile — “Samsung has quietly launched the Samsung Pay Touch app to target small businesses in Canada. The app transforms compatible Galaxy smartphones into POS (point of sale) terminals that can accept contactless payments from customers… The biggest advantage of Samsung Pay Touch is that it doesn’t require any additional hardware to set up. As long as you have a compatible Galaxy smartphone, you can download the app and complete the registration to start using it right away.”


What's New in Payments

OCBC lets customers use mobile phones to withdraw cash from ATMs

OCBC Bank is first in Singapore to enable cash withdrawals at ATMs using QR codes — OCBC — “OCBC Bank customers can withdraw cash by just scanning a QR code using the OCBC Pay Anyone app, then authenticating the transaction via fingerprint, faceprint or mobile banking login credentials… Using a QR code instead of keying in a PIN is more secure because biometric authentication can be chosen, a more robust security feature than a PIN that can be revealed or stolen. Further, a physical ATM card can be skimmed while a mobile device cannot.”