UK-based mobile payment and rewards platform Droplet is to be discontinued... More
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Canadian NFC mobile wallet SureTap to close down
The SIM-based NFC Canadian mobile wallet SureTap is to be discontinued in August 2016 due to “ongoing changes in the market”, the mobile wallet provider has announced. More
Semble discontinues SIM-based NFC mobile wallet in New Zealand
Semble, the SIM-based NFC mobile wallet launched in New Zealand by two banks, three carriers and payments network Paymark, is to be discontinued, the mobile wallet company has confirmed. Semble says it now aims to “refocus the business to develop and build new services”. More
Android Pay launches in Australia
Google has begun rolling out its Android Pay mobile payment service in Australia with support from American Express and Visa. The service will be available from 27 banks and credit unions at launch and from an additional seven financial institutions “soon”. MasterCard support is expected “in a few days”. More
Starbucks launches mobile payments in China
Customers at Starbucks stores in China will now be able to pay for their order using their mobile phone and the coffee giant’s QR code-based mobile payment service which has now been launched in 2,200 locations across the country. More
Survey reveals Samsung Pay tops satisfaction list in US
Apple Pay captures the greatest proportion of eligible users in the US with 33%, followed by Samsung Pay with 23%, research released by Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG) reveals. However, Samsung Pay users report higher satisfaction levels and fewer issues at the point of sale compared to Apple Pay users, with near equal proportions recommending both mobile payment services. More
ING and KBC to combine mobile payments and loyalty in Belgium
ING and Belgian bank KBC are to launch a mobile payment and loyalty platform in Belgium that will combine ING’s Payconiq mobile payment app with loyalty platforms Qustomer and CityLife in a single service. More
Estimote adds NFC to BLE Proximity Beacons
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon manufacturer Estimote has added programmable NFC into its new range of Proximity Beacons to make it easier to identify and configure the devices and to enable a range of consumer experiences such as confirming payment, collecting loyalty points and clocking in. More
Walmart Pay completes nationwide rollout
US supermarket giant Walmart has completed its nationwide rollout of Walmart Pay, making the service available in more than 4,600 stores across the country. The retailer has also recorded a 45% increase in Walmart Pay transactions in the last week. More
Barclaycard Loop adds NFC payments to any wearable device
Barclaycard has unveiled Loop, the fourth product in its bPay contactless payment device range, which comes in the form of a contactless chip and lets consumers add NFC payment capability to the wearable devices they already own. More
MTA goes live with Masabi mobile ticketing
Passengers on New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) can now pay for tickets and have them validated on their smartphone... More
Heineken uses BLE beacons to reward Kiwi consumers
New Zealanders are being rewarded with experiences such as flights, helicopter rides and VIP event access whenever they are close to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons installed in 120 Heineken locations across the country via the beer maker’s Heineken Live mobile app. More
French retail giant to support Fivory NFC mobile payments
Customers at supermarket giant Auchan Retail France stores will soon be able to pay for purchases on their mobile phone using NFC or QR codes through the Fivory mobile wallet. The retailer has teamed up with payment solutions provider Oney and MasterCard to support the service which was piloted by French bank Credit Mutuel-CIC in April 2014. More
One in four US smartphone owners use mobile payment apps
More than 25% of US smartphone owners make use of mobile payment apps at least once a month, research from Parks Associates reveals... More
Worldline to support Alipay in Germany
Payment processor Worldline is adding support for Alipay mobile payments in Germany... More
Facebook tests Messenger payments
US consumers are testing a new service that lets them send money through Facebook’s Messenger chat app... More
Jiffy signs up more than 350,000 users
More than 350,000 Italians have now registered to use Jiffy, the P2P payment service launched by payment processor SIA in October 2014... More
Starwood expands keyless entry to hotels worldwide
The Bluetooth-based mobile keyless entry solution unveiled by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide in November 2014 has been extended to select Le Méridien, Westin, Sheraton and Four Points hotels, with “many additional properties” expected to go live with SPG Keyless over the coming months... More
Walgreens enhances paperless coupon feature
Customers of US drugstore giant Walgreens can now redeem paperless coupons for online and in-store purchases and “clip” offers on product pages and in search results through the Walgreens mobile app... More
Android Pay launches in Singapore
Google has begun rolling out Android Pay across Singapore, marking the mobile payment service’s debut in Asia. It will work with MasterCard and Visa cards from DBS Bank, OCBC Bank, POSB Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and UOB. More