Apple Pay now available to ANZ customers in Australian banking first
ANZ became the first Australian bank to offer its customers Apple Pay on Thursday.
The mobile payment system, which lets Apple smartphone owners swipe their phone at the checkout rather than their credit card, arrived in Australia in November. It was initially available only to those with American Express, and the single partnership was not ideal given the limited number of stores that accept the card.
You May Also Like
ANZ customers with a Visa debit card, credit card or an ANZ American Express credit card are now able to use Apple Pay, the bank said in a statement.
"I'm proud we’re the first major Australian bank to offer Apple Pay and we are confident the convenience, security and privacy will be well received by our customers," ANZ Chief Executive Officer Shayne Elliott said.
"The introduction of Apple Pay is a significant milestone in our strategy to use digital technology to provide our customers with a superior experience and will be a watershed moment in the adoption of mobile payments in Australia."
Apple Pay works on the iPhone 6 and newer versions of the smartphone, up to the iPhone SE. In-store purchases can also be made with the Apple Watch, and in-app payments are supported by companies including Kickstarter and Deliveroo.
With ANZ on board, Apple still needs to convince the remaining three institutions that make up Australia's top four banks to come on board: Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank (NAB) and Westpac.
"Commonwealth Bank already provides a digital-wallet experience for our customers through our CommBank app," a spokesperson for the bank told Mashable Australia. "We are constantly assessing the best payment solutions for our customers, including Apple Pay."
A spokesperson for Westpac did not comment directly on Apple Pay, but told Mashable Australia the bank was always evaluating the best payment solutions for customers.
"We're continually looking for opportunities to offer mobile payment and wallet solutions on other devices and operating systems," a spokesperson for NAB said, but declined to comment on when or if the bank will come on board with Apple Pay.
It's been reported the banks were reluctant to work with Apple Pay for fear of giving Apple a portion of the profitable interchange fees merchants pay in order to use the bank's infrastructure. An ANZ spokesperson declined to comment regarding the bank's fee arrangement with Apple.
Rival in the mobile payments game, Samsung Pay, is also heading to Australia. The company has indicated the feature is "coming soon," and will also have AMEX as a launch partner. Both will have to face off against Android Pay, which flagged a 2016 launch in December, with nine of Australia's financial institutions on board.
As the tech giants bring their payment products Down Under, they'll find a well acclimatised audience. Many of Australia's banks already offer contactless payment services and tap-and-go cards. More than 60% of Australian card transactions are now contactless, according to ANZ.
UPDATE: April 30, 2016, 11:40 a.m. AEST NAB and Westpac statements added.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
