Granted we are little over a week into 2015, but the signs that it could be a break out year for mobile payments persist, with Europe stepping up its game as the year begins. Earlier this week we bought you news of Apple Pay's imminent arrival in the UK. News has now broken of a large play for mobile payments in Poland, with nine banks announcing they are working with Visa.
The partnership will allow Polish users of android devices with NFC capabilities to complete mobile payments. More specifically, the technology in use is Visa's cloud based HCE (Host Card Emulation) technology. Poland is prime location for Visa to push the boat out and test its mobile payment technology. Visa Europe's executive director for mobile, Jeremy Nicholds, said:
"Poland has been extremely enthusiastic in embracing contactless payment technology and is already Visa’s largest market in Europe in terms of contactless transaction volumes."
Mobile World Live is also reporting that Spain's Bankinter and BBVA Banks are also supporters of Visa's HCE solution, and other European territories are in the pipeline.
Meanwhile Swiss retail giant, Migros, is set to introduce its own mobile payments solution in Switzerland. The retail giant and bank, unlike other unsuccessful attempts at mobile payments in Switzerland before, plans to open its solution up to more than just its own retail stores and bank cards.
All across Europe, banks, retailers and technology companies are waking up to the potential of European mobile payments and quite rightly. Forms of NFC are the prevailing trend, led by Apple, which is great for improving the in-store experience of shopping. But what about when you are online or on the go, or simply away from a NFC compatible device - well we think that's a pretty big market and one where the Ensygnia solution fits perfectly.
By Matthew Taylor 8th January 2015
Related stories around the web
Polish banks crowd behind the cloud - Mobile World Live
Swiss retail giant Migros plans m-pay move - Mobile World Live
Nine Polish banks to launch HCE mobile payments - NFC World
Polish banks embrace HCE for mobile payments drive - Finextra
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