Alphabet Inc launched Google Wallet in South Africa on Tuesday. This move comes as the tech behemoth tries to gain a foothold in the African country’s rapidly growing digital payments space.
Due to the Covid Pandemic, people now prefer to make contactless payments via their smart devices. High smartphone penetration has also increased adoption rates.
The Google Wallet app stores a consumer’s credit or debit card information and lets shoppers pay for goods by tapping their phone against a retail store’s point of sale at the checkout counter.
From Tuesday, cardholders of FirstRand Bank, Discovery Bank, Investec, Standard Bank, ABSA and Nedbank will be able to add their cards to Google Wallet, Google said.
The customers will then be able to pay for goods and services with their Android phones or use OS devices where contactless payments are accepted.
Fierce rival Apple Inc had launched its Apple Pay mobile payment system in South Africa last year.
