Japan’s Bic Camera to accept bitcoin nationwide — Nikkei Asian Review — “Bic Camera will allow payments in bitcoin at all locations throughout Japan as early as this month, looking to provide more options for foreign and domestic shoppers… The more-than-expected popularity of this option prompted Bic Camera to expand the system to the rest of its locations, the company says.”
Japan
Sony’s semi-smartwatch now has a smaller version and a leather strap with NFC
Sony’s semi-smartwatch now has a smaller version and a leather strap with NFC — The Verge — “Sony is also launching a new leather strap in all three sizes — you lose the steel band’s notification functionality, but it still has NFC — and is starting to sell the steel band separately as well for people who want to mix and match… The Three Hands Square “head” and steel band will go on sale later this month, but the leather bands won’t be available until late December.”
Bango enables new payment option for Amazon customers in Japan
Bango enables new payment option for Amazon customers in Japan — Bango — “Amazon customers with a KDDI (au) or NTT Docomo mobile phone account can now pay for physical goods from Amazon.co.jp, by charging the cost to their mobile phone bill… A KDDI or NTT Docomo subscriber simply adds carrier billing as a payment option in their Amazon.co.jp account and then purchases can be made from any device.”
Android Pay goes live in Taiwan with CTBC and First Bank
Android Pay has launched in Taiwan, taking the mobile payment service to a total of 13 markets following its debut in Canada earlier this week... More
Android Pay begins its rollout across Canada
Android Pay has begun rolling out across Canada with support for eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards from BMO Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Banque Nationale, Scotiabank, Desjardins, President’s Choice Financial, ATB Financial and Canadian Tire Financial Services as well as prepaid Scotiabank and Desjardins cards... More
Android Pay enters 11th global market with launch in Russia
Google has launched its Android Pay mobile payments service in Russia, allowing those with eligible Visa and Mastercard credit or debit cards issued from 15 supporting banks and financial institutions to make in-store and in-app payments using their compatible mobile devices. More
MUFG seeks to quicken cashless push with card unit buyout
MUFG seeks to quicken cashless push with card unit buyout — Nikkei — “Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group plans to turn a credit card unit into a wholly owned subsidiary and position it as a hub for new financial services such as virtual currency payment… MUFG’s move is driven by the prospect that cashless payment methods such as digital wallets and virtual currency will proliferate in Japan as financial technologies evolve.”
Android Pay continues international expansion
Android Pay will be rolled out to a number of additional countries including Brazil, Canada, Russia, Spain and Taiwan over the “coming months”, Google’s director of engineering for payment products Varouj Chitilian has revealed... More
Apple Pay launches in Italy with support from UniCredit and Carrefour Banca
Apple Pay has begun rolling out across Italy with support for Mastercard and Visa cards issued by Carrefour Banca and UniCredit, with American Express, CartaBCC, ExpendiaSmart, Fineco Bank, Hype, Banca Mediolanum, N26 and Widiba listed as “coming this year”. The launch takes Apple Pay to a total of 16 markets globally. More
Apple Pay transactions grew 450% in the last 12 months, Tim Cook reports
Apple Pay is experiencing “phenomenal traction”, with transaction volume up 450% over the last 12 months, Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed. Monthly Apple Pay transactions have grown by nearly 300% in the last year across the UK, while in Japan more than half a million transit users are completing 20m Apple Pay transactions per month. More
Android Pay links to mobile banking apps to simplify setup process
Android Pay has been integrated into the mobile banking apps of “several banks around the world” so that users can add their cards to the mobile payment service with “just the click of a button”. The feature will also work for those who have not installed Android Pay on their handset, giving them access to “the capabilities of Android Pay” without having to leave their mobile banking app. More
Apple Pay goes live in Taiwan with support from seven banks
Apple Pay has launched in Taiwan with support from Mastercard, Visa and seven banks including Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank, Cathay United Bank, E.Sun Commercial Bank, Taishin International Bank, CTBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Union Bank of Taiwan. More
Square arrives in the UK
Mobile POS provider Square has launched in the UK... More
Belgium becomes tenth country to go live with Android Pay
Android Pay has launched in Belgium with support for Mastercard and Visa credit cards from BNP Paribas Fortis, Hello Bank... More
Apple Pay goes live in Ireland with support from Mastercard, Visa and two banks
Apple Pay has been launched across Ireland with support from Mastercard, Visa, KBC and Ulster Bank, allowing customers to make in-store, online and in-app payments using their compatible devices... More
Apple Pay begins major promotional campaign in Japan
Apple is promoting adoption of Apple Pay in Japan via a two month campaign that offers a wide range of rewards and benefits to consumers who choose to use the NFC payments service. More
Rakuten Pay to support 14 e-money services
Japanese ecommerce and internet giant Rakuten is to add support for 14 electronic money services to its in-store payment system from summer 2017... More
Apple Pay triples users in 2016 and prepares to launch in Taiwan
The number of Apple Pay users has more than tripled over the past year, with transaction volume up 500% year-over-year, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed during the company’s first quarter earnings call. The mobile payment service is also expected to launch in Taiwan “soon”. More
Japanese bank plans new biometrics firm
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group is planning to establish a company that provides biometric authentication services together with a “major Japanese IT company and an Irish company as early as this spring”, The Japan News reports... More
Palm vein authentication system launched for mobile devices
A palm vein authentication system compact enough to be used in tablets and other mobile devices as “dependable as current optical units” has been unveiled by Japanese electronics firm Fujitsu... More