Mastercard has announced the extension of the Google Pay service to cardholders across Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, and Romania together with its issuing partners.
With Google Pay, users with eligible Android devices will be able to make purchases in stores and online. Furthermore, this will also give them the option to use their phones to make contactless payments.
Mastercard will provide this service in cooperation with various issuers and fintechs Banca Transilvania, Bunq, CEC Bank, Curve, LHV Pank, Monese, N26, Paynetics, Revolut, Swedbank, Unicredit Bank Romania, and Viva Wallet.
To be able to use Google Pay in these new markets, Android users can select the ‘Add to Google Pay’ button within the participating mobile banking apps in order to add their card. Once the card has been added to Google Pay, users can use their phone to tap and pay wherever contactless transactions are accepted, such as in a store or online. Neither Google Pay or the mobile banking app need to be opened for this, nor is an Internet connection required. People can go over the predefined contactless transaction limit simply by unlocking their phone before making the payment.
Milan Gauder, Executive Vice President of Product and Innovation, Europe at Mastercard noted:
“Delivering choice and innovation in payments is an important part of how we improve people’s everyday life. With hygiene becoming a high priority for many people, we want to make sure that we continue to deliver innovative solutions for touch-free payments. Today’s rollout empowers customers to pick the most convenient and safest method of payment that fits their need at any particular moment. To that end we are delighted to join forces with Google to provide the people we serve some ease, speed and peace of mind.”
Florence Diss, Head of Payments Partnerships, Google, said:
“More than ever, people are keen to use simple and secure solutions to pay online and contactless in stores. Thanks to the close collaboration with Mastercard, cardholders of participating partners in 10 new European countries will be able to use Google Pay through their respective mobile banking apps. We hope everyone will enjoy the benefits that come with using their Android phone to pay in millions of places around the world”
