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.”


What's New in Payments

One in ten Londoners ready to ‘consider microchipping themselves’ to speed up contactless payments

Would you microchip yourself to speed up paying with contactless? — This is Money — “11% of Londoners surveyed by PaymentSense and YouGov said they’d consider microchipping themselves to make it quicker for them to make contactless payments… A quarter say they’d be happy to use a fingerprint scanner to verify payments. 16% would be in favour of using a retinal scanner to do so.”


What's New in Payments

Researchers showcase method for bypassing contactless card limit

Hack breaks your Visa card’s contactless limit for big frauds — Forbes — “To carry out their hack, the researchers used a specialised piece of hardware to intercept and insert messages in the communications between the card and the reader. For instance, they could tell the card that verification — like a PIN — wasn’t needed, even though the requested amount was more than £30. They then told the terminal that verification has already been made by another means.”



Transit Ticketing Today

Metrolink rolls out open loop ticketing on Manchester trams

Passengers set to benefit from new contactless payments on Metrolink — Transport for Greater Manchester — “The new system will mean customers can simply touch-in at the start of a journey and touch-out at the end using a contactless bank card or another contactless-enabled payment device, such as a phone or watch. The system will then automatically work out the total daily fare for a customer’s journeys and the price will be capped — to ensure they are paying no more than the relevant adult daily one-day travelcard price.”


NFC World

Amazon rolls out QR-based anti-counterfeiting platform

Amazon launches Transparency in Europe, India and Canada — Amazon — “Transparency is a product serialisation service that provides a unique code for every unit that is manufactured. Brands put these codes on its products and every time one of these products is ordered in Amazon’s stores, Amazon scans and verifies the code to ensure only authentic units reach customers. Additionally, customers can use a mobile app to scan the code and verify authenticity regardless of where they purchased their units. Brands can also use Transparency to communicate unique unit-level information, including manufacturing date, manufacturing place, or other enhanced product information (eg ingredients).”


What's New in Payments

Survey: Security tops convenience for UK online payments

Brits care more about online payment security than convenience — Equifax — “Two thirds (66%) of people rate safe and secure payments as most important in the online checkout process, with only one in ten being most concerned about speed or simplicity. Security ranked highest across all age groups, and was a particular concern for over 55s (75%) compared to just over half of 18-24 and 25-34 year olds (52% and 53% respectively).”


Transit Ticketing Today

Greater Anglia lets train passengers use NFC phones to top up travel cards

Dramatic increase in Smart Card use — Greater Anglia — “We’ve upgraded our Greater Anglia app so that if you have an Android phone, you can hold your Smart Card against it and it will automatically transfer the products you have bought from the website or app, onto your Smart Card… We’ve also enabled staff phones to be able to instantly check the validity of Smart Cards. So passengers can use their card with confidence, and at the same time the systems we have introduced will help to detect and prevent fraud.”




What's New in Payments

TNS reports on consumer attitudes to wearable payments

TNS report shows alternative and cashless payments adoption at an inflection point with security a concern to wider usage — TNS — “44% of respondents are willing to make a payment using a wearable device like a ring or a bracelet; just under two-thirds (65%) expressed that security concerns would stop them from using a wearable device to make a payment; Australians are most concerned about security (68%) versus Americans (64%) and Britons (63%); more than half of male smartwatch owners have used it to make a payment.”