NFC World

More than 6.2bn GlobalPlatform-compliant secure elements were deployed in 2018, an increase of over 750m from the previous year, the standards organisation has revealed. In all, over 35bn secure elements based on GlobalPlatform technology have been deployed since 2010, it adds. Read the rest of GlobalPlatform reports secure element shipment numbers at NFCW.

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). Google plans to make the accounts available free of charge, in partnership with credit unions and other financial institutions, and to generate revenues from debit card transaction fees.

“A German parliamentary committee unexpectedly voted in a late-night session on Wednesday to force the tech giant to open up Apple Pay to rival providers in Germany… The legislation, which did not name Apple specifically, will force operators of electronic money infrastructure to offer access to rivals for a reasonable fee.” Read the rest of

Upmarket sneaker brand Golden Goose is including NFC tags in its new Yeah sneakers, to provide buyers with the ability to validate the authenticity of their €410 purchase. An initial run of 300 pairs of Yeah sneakers are being made available exclusively from the Italian brand’s online store, fashion business publication WWD reports. A wider

One in five contactless payments on London’s public transportation network are now made using a mobile phone or other non-card device, Transport for London (TfL) has revealed. The information was made public following a Freedom of Information Act request which also asked TfL how the introduction of contactless bank card payments has contributed to reducing

Samsung has teamed up with financial services comparison site Finder to add a credit card shopping feature to Samsung Pay, “enabling everyday Australians to discover compelling credit card offers from participating financial institutions” from within its mobile wallet. “The first-of-its-kind feature in Australia combines Samsung Pay’s secure digital payments platform and Finder’s deep understanding of

The Government of Madeira is to issue biometric cards containing an in-built fingerprint sensor to 3,400 of its citizens for the pilot test of Smart Island, a decentralized digital identity project encompassing 12 education, healthcare, port security, transport, payments, tourism and government services. The initial order for the credit card-sized biometric smart cards has been

Google is to begin offering checking accounts to consumers from next year, in partnership with banks and credit unions, according to The Wall Street Journal. “The project, code-named Cache, is expected to launch next year with accounts run by Citigroup Inc and a credit union at Stanford University, a tiny lender in Google’s backyard,” the

Food giant Nestlé is testing face recognition payments at Nestlé Market, a concept supermarket in Barcelona, Spain, that stocks the company’s established brands as well as the latest additions to its range. To use the service, shoppers download a Face to Pay Nestlé Market app for iOS or Android and register their personal details, bank

Facebook has unveiled a unified payments service designed to provide “a convenient, secure and consistent payment experience across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp”. “People already use payments across our apps to shop, donate to causes and send money to each other,” the company says. “Facebook Pay will make these transactions easier while continuing to ensure