The NFC Forum has released four new specifications designed to improve “the robustness and communications speed for the over two billion NFC-enabled devices, like smartphones, in use today”... More
P2P
Google details its plan to offer free US bank accounts via Google Pay
US consumers will be able to start signing up for checking accounts from within Google Pay in mid-2020, Google has told the Credit Union National Association (CUNA)... More
PBOC provides details on how China’s new digital currency will work
China’s central bank has released further details of its forthcoming digital currency — including the news that citizens will be able to use it to exchange money and make payments in an NFC-like manner... More
Telekom Slovenije launches mobile wallet that supports NFC, QR, P2P, bill splitting and transit ticketing payments
Telekom Slovenije launches the Valu smart wallet — Telekom Slovenije — “Valu smart wallet is available in Slovenia as a mobile app from 13 June, and combines in one place mobile payment services, transfer of funds between users, splitting the bill, as well as identification and use of local infrastructure services, such as purchasing Slovenian Railways train tickets… Valu also supports payments with a QR code (on Android and iOS devices) or NFC technology (Android devices).”
Swish pilots Bluetooth boxes for mobile payments in Swedish stores
Swedish P2P and online payments app Swish is moving into in-store payments with a pilot test of a Bluetooth box that can be added to merchants’ existing POS terminals to deliver “an NFC-like ‘tap and pay’ experience”... More
NFC Forum releases bidirectional IoT communication standard
NFC Forum enhances connectivity of IoT devices with new and updated specifications — NFC Forum — “Bidirectional communication with IoT devices means NFC-enabled smartphones can read the actual state from the IoT device (eg, the actual title of music played) and can change the configuration of the IoT device by write access (eg, to adjust the volume or to switch to the next audio file). It can be used, for example, to configure an audio system, digital camera, lightning system, smart meter or radiator valve. This protocol can also be used where P2P is not implemented, for example, on existing NFC readers that do not support P2P mode.”
Apple unveils support for NFC pairing at WWDC
Apple is to add support for NFC P2P pairing in iOS 13, enabling iPhone users to share movies and music “with just a tap”... More
Google to drop support for Android Beam NFC P2P transfers
Android Q won’t have Android Beam — Techradar — “Android Beam, the NFC sharing method where you put two phones back to back to transfer photos, videos, and other files, is nowhere to be found in the ongoing Android Q beta… At Google IO, we found out that it’s not coming back, either, according to the reps we talked to who are working on Android updates.”
Amazon launches P2P payments in India
Amazon Pay launches person to person (P2P) payments through UPI for Android customers — Amazon — “Customers can use this functionality to settle bills/expenses with friends, lend/return money to family, pay rents, pay for services like house-help, newspaper bills, milk subscription and more. Customers can also make payments from their bank account to local stores nearby or to [an] Amazon delivery associate at [the] doorstep by scanning UPI QR codes using the Amazon app.”
PayPal reports 40m Venmo P2P payments users
PayPal reports first quarter 2019 results — PayPal — “We now have 277 million customer accounts, including 22 million merchant accounts and over 40 million active Venmo accounts… Person-to-Person (P2P) volume grew 41% to $42bn, representing 26% of TPV. Venmo processed $21bn of TPV in the first quarter, growing 73%.”
Singapore banks to allow cellphone numbers for transfers
Singapore banks to allow cellphone numbers for transfers — Nikkei Asian Review — “Customers will be able to send money instantly by supplying recipients’ mobile numbers linked to their bank accounts… The ABS aims to expand the service to include transactions between retail customers and businesses next year.”
East London gets local currency built on the blockchain
Residents across East London can now make mobile payments at small businesses with a local currency launched by Tel-Aviv-based digital wallet provider Colu which makes use of blockchain technology... More
US consumers turn to digital payments for online purchases
More than 70% of online shoppers across the US have used digital payment services including mobile wallets, one-click checkout buttons and peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps, research released by American Express reveals, with 41% “always or sometimes” choosing to use digital solutions when they pay... More
PayPal chief dismisses Apple Pay challenge
PayPal chief dismisses Apple Pay challenge — The Telegraph — “Dan Schulman said the forthcoming Apple Pay Cash service did not have the advantages of PayPal’s peer-to-peer payments services… Mr Schulman suggested it would struggle to gain traction because it is not available on non-Apple devices, unlike PayPal.”
Samsung Pay adds Bixby voice-controlled banking in South Korea
Samsung Pay users across South Korea can now use the Bixby artificial intelligence feature in Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus handsets to conduct transactions with their voice, including completing peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers and finding out their account balance... More
China UnionPay rolls out QR payment solution
China UnionPay rolls out QR payment solution — ECNS — “The latest UnionPay product offers multiple payment modes with customers able to scan seller QR codes or vice versa, while transfers can be made person-to-person, facilitating payments between individuals, individuals and businesses, and among businesses. In future, cash withdrawals from ATMs via QR codes and other premium service solutions will also be available.”
Google to let users make in-app and online payments with any stored card and add P2P payments to digital assistant
Google has unveiled a new payment API that will allow customers to make payments through third party mobile apps, websites and the company’s voice-based Google Assistant using “any credit or debit card stored in their Google account” from across a range of services including Android Pay, Google Play and Google Chrome. The API will also let customers use a stored card to complete transactions via a new peer-to-peer (P2P) payments feature that will be added to the digital assistant. More
Tikkie passes half a million users
Tikkie passes half a million users — ABN Amro — “Less than a year after it was first introduced, pay-back app Tikkie has reached and passed the landmark of half a million users. This makes Tikkie the fastest-growing payment app in the Netherlands.”