Customers of more than 20 commercial banks in Beijing can now make host card emulation (HCE) based mobile payments using a new service launched by bankcard association UnionPay... More
UnionPay launches HCE mobile payments with Beijing banks
POS
Alipay expands across Europe with Wirecard
Chinese consumers can now make purchases using QR code-based mobile payments service Alipay at European retailers that incorporate barcode payment functionality provided by Wirecard... More
Asian first for Visa Token Service
Visa has announced that the host card emulation (HCE) based mobile payments service launched by United Overseas Bank (UOB) in November is the first in Asia Pacific to make use of the Visa Token Service... More
28% of UK shoppers prefer contactless
More than a quarter of UK shoppers (28%) prefer contactless payments because they are easier and 29% prefer paying via contactless because it’s speedy, research from mobile network operator EE shows... More
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
NFC Forum pushes for NFC at the point of sale
A six-page white paper that explores whether US retailers are prepared to make the most of the shift to EMV and mobile payments is now available to download from the NFC World+ Knowledge Centre... More
Developers unveil electronic tattoos for payments and healthcare
Creative studio Chaotic Moon has demonstrated a concept it calls Tech Tats, tattoo-like formations of components and conductive paint that create an electronic circuit which adheres to the wearer’s skin. The temporary tattoos include a microprocessor and the company envisages them performing tasks such as health monitoring or making payments. More
Half of UK shoppers think wearable payments will be commonplace within five years
More than half of UK shoppers (51%) believe that wearable devices including smartwatches, wristbands, fobs, stickers and smart clothing will be commonplace for in-store payments within two to five years, a survey by Vista Retail Support reveals... 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
Retail giant Otto to shutter Yapital mobile payments business
German retail giant Otto Group is to close down its Yapital mobile payments service due to the “highly competitive but slow-developing digital payment business”... More
Diners Club launches mobile payments in Ecuador
Credit card issuer Diners Club of Ecuador has launched PayClub, a service that lets consumers make mobile payments with any Diners or Visa Interdin branded card... More
Apple Pay signs deal with China UnionPay?
Apple Pay has reached an agreement with China UnionPay to use its point-of-sale network to introduce the mobile payment service in China, according to Bloomberg... More
Swipp contactless payment opens up to 30,000 Danish merchants through Verifone deal
More than 30,000 Danish merchants using Verifone POS devices will now be able to accept in-store mobile payments through Swipp — a service owned and supported by a consortium of more than 70 banks. This will be made possible via a “minor upgrade” to their existing terminals and “a number” of locations are expected to go live from December 2015, according to Swipp. More
United Overseas Bank offers HCE mobile payments in Singapore
Customers of United Overseas Bank (UOB) in Singapore can now make host card emulation (HCE) based mobile payments for transactions of any value at all Visa PayWave or MasterPass terminals. The new service also makes use of tokenization. More
Singtel adds NFC to Dash mobile payments service
Singapore mobile network operator Singtel has added NFC to its Dash mobile payment platform, letting customers make in-store payments with a tap... More
Four in ten US consumers plan to make an in-store mobile payment this holiday season
A total of 39% of US consumers surveyed by Research Now for Inside Secure say they plan to use their smartphone to make an in-store purchase during this holiday season, up from 33% last year. 17% of those who did not make a mobile payment last year say they plan to use a service like Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay this year. More
MasterCard integrates loyalty programs and mobile payments with new specification
MasterCard has introduced a loyalty middleware specification that aims to ease the integration of loyalty programs with mobile payment apps... More
Apple Pay goes live in Australia
Apple Pay has begun rolling out across Australia, allowing American Express cardholders to make NFC mobile payments using iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and Apple Watch devices. More
First National Bank adds coupons and vouchers to mobile app
Customers of South Africa’s First National Bank (FNB) can now redeem mobile coupons and vouchers through the bank’s mobile banking app directly at the point of sale... More
Norway’s Valyou NFC wallet to shut down due to lack of user adoption
The Valyou NFC mobile wallet developed by Norwegian mobile network operator Telenor and banking group DNB is to shut down due to a “much lower than expected end user uptake”... More