Apple Pay in Australia Expanding to 31 Small Banks and Credit Unions

[MacRumors]

Apple recently inked a deal with Cuscal Payments Group, which will see Apple Pay expand to more than 30 small banks and credit unions in Australia in the near future. Apple Pay is expected to be available for up to four million Australian customers through the partnership.

Some of the banks and credit unions that will accept Apple Pay include Credit Union Australia, Bank Australia, Beyond Bank Australia, QT Mutual Bank, and Central West Credit Union, with a full list available on the Cuscal website. In a statement, Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey said Apple is eager to expand the payments service in Australia.

"We want as many Australians as possible to be able to use Apple Pay," she said.

"Today more than 3500 banks across 12 countries already support Apple Pay and we think Cuscal's customers will really love using Apple Pay for everyday purchases in stores, apps and on the web."

While Apple Pay has been available in Australia since November of 2015 through partnerships with American Express and ANZ, other major banks in Australia have not signed on to accept Apple Pay and are embroiled in a dispute with Apple.

Three of Australia's largest banks, including Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, and Westpac, have filed an application with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to collectively negotiate with Apple to gain access to the NFC hardware in iPhones.

The banks want customers to be able to use already-established bank-run digital wallets rather than being limited to Apple Pay, but Apple does not allow third-party services to access the NFC chip built into the iPhone.

The banks have argued that Apple's refusal to allow access to the iPhone's hardware is an anti-competitive restriction, while Apple has told the ACCC that allowing the banks to "form a cartel" to dictate the terms of new business models would "set a troubling precedent," delay the introduction of "potentially disruptive technologies," and compromise security.

Article Link: Apple Pay in Australia Expanding to 31 Small Banks and Credit Unions

 

[Enigma01au]

Apple recently inked a deal with Cuscal Payments Group, which will see Apple Pay expand to more than 30 small banks and credit unions in Australia in the near future. Apple Pay is expected to be available for up to four million Australian customers through the partnership.

Some of the banks and credit unions that will accept Apple Pay include Credit Union Australia, Bank Australia, Beyond Bank Australia, QT Mutual Bank, and Central West Credit Union, with a full list available on the Cuscal website. In a statement, Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey said Apple is eager to expand the payments service in Australia.

While Apple Pay has been available in Australia since November of 2015 through partnerships with American Express and ANZ, other major banks in Australia have not signed on to accept Apple Pay and are embroiled in a dispute with Apple.

Three of Australia's largest banks, including Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, and Westpac, have filed an application with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to collectively negotiate with Apple to gain access to the NFC hardware in iPhones.

The banks want customers to be able to use already-established bank-run digital wallets rather than being limited to Apple Pay, but Apple does not allow third-party services to access the NFC chip built into the iPhone.

The banks have argued that Apple's refusal to allow access to the iPhone's hardware is an anti-competitive restriction, while Apple has told the ACCC that allowing the banks to "form a cartel" to dictate the terms of new business models would "set a troubling precedent," delay the introduction of "potentially disruptive technologies," and compromise security.

Article Link: Apple Pay in Australia Expanding to 31 Small Banks and Credit Unions

Excellent News! I already use Apple Pay with ANZ, and have another account with one of the smaller credit unions listed, so now I am fully covered, and no longer have to carry my wallet / purse around!

 

[Speedy Dingo]

Meanwhile at the other 3 major banks left that refuse to support Apple Pay...

 

[CosmicRichy]

I have all my accounts with commonwealth bank. Hopefully they get over it and just accept that no one wants to use their crap digital wallets and Apple Pay is the way to go.

 

[tmiw]

Congrats! Maybe this will put more pressure on the other big banks there.

 

[Juiceboy]

Been with ANZ my whole life. I couldn't be happier. Recently got an Apple Watch as well and not having to get your phone or anything out just to make a payment is just incredible. Even Apple Pay with your phone is so fun. I can't beleive the Other banks have played sour grapes for this long when this is just what consumers want. iOS dominates in Australia compared to US as well, so i'm shocked the banks have held on this long. Congrats to ANZ for giving it's customers what it wants.

 

[-BigMac-]

Cool.

My HSBC Card STILL isnt accepted here in Australia.

 

[suzyj]

Cool! I'm with Laboratories credit union. Another reason credit unions rock.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Apple Pay with your phone is so fun.

After 2 years, with institutions in only 11 countries signed onto AP - this pretty much sums it all up.

YET another niche service from Apple ... simply drifting.

 

[MH01]

While 31 it sounds impressive , some of these are really small.... really a non event until the other three major banks sign up....or even one of them.
[doublepost=1478682092][/doublepost]

Congrats! Maybe this will put more pressure on the other big banks there.

After all time I doubt it . They would have lost the really keen apple fans already, and frankly those numbers in the grand scheme would be very very small.

Living in London. From everyone I know apple or android pay is utilised by such a small number. I commute by tube everyday , such a tiny minory use their phone for contactless

 

[batchtaster]

This will drive customer movement and demand. A small select group like it was before would not make much difference. But when it's "everybody except the big three," they will find themselves without a choice, as they will have to explain to customers that/why they can't Apple Pay - customers who don't care about the bank's desire to remain control-freaks, only that they can't pay the way they should be able to. The banks' reasons have nothing to do with customers' best interests, only with the banks' best interests - there's no up-side for customers with Apple Pay not being available. And that fact will ultimately wear them down, sooner or later. Just as it was with the collapse of the auto industry, one will blink (probably the #3 bank, having the most to lose), and the other two will fall into line. History will record which bank was the last to comply.

 

[Kangastu]

Still no Suncorp or eta on when it will happen. Time to change my account to ANZ methinks.

 

[JoshBoy]

Apple recently inked a deal with Cuscal Payments Group, which will see Apple Pay expand to more than 30 small banks and credit unions in Australia in the near future. Apple Pay is expected to be available for up to four million Australian customers through the partnership.

Some of the banks and credit unions that will accept Apple Pay include Credit Union Australia, Bank Australia, Beyond Bank Australia, QT Mutual Bank, and Central West Credit Union, with a full list available on the Cuscal website. In a statement, Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey said Apple is eager to expand the payments service in Australia.

While Apple Pay has been available in Australia since November of 2015 through partnerships with American Express and ANZ, other major banks in Australia have not signed on to accept Apple Pay and are embroiled in a dispute with Apple.

Three of Australia's largest banks, including Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, and Westpac, have filed an application with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to collectively negotiate with Apple to gain access to the NFC hardware in iPhones.

The banks want customers to be able to use already-established bank-run digital wallets rather than being limited to Apple Pay, but Apple does not allow third-party services to access the NFC chip built into the iPhone.

The banks have argued that Apple's refusal to allow access to the iPhone's hardware is an anti-competitive restriction, while Apple has told the ACCC that allowing the banks to "form a cartel" to dictate the terms of new business models would "set a troubling precedent," delay the introduction of "potentially disruptive technologies," and compromise security.

Article Link: Apple Pay in Australia Expanding to 31 Small Banks and Credit Unions

I actually work for one of those major banks and I get their stance. All they are saying is if you want us to join the party you have to as well. If apple allow contactless payment through the NFC chip they will allow Apple Pay. It's a two way street.

To those saying that the other three will fold because of these other 31 are on board you are kidding yourself.

Apple got pissed off at google for entering their space (Steve jobs famous speech at town hall), well they have now moved into the banks space but don't want to negotiate, its apple holding this up not the banks, open the use of the chip and you have what you want.

 

[Robert.Walter]

I have all my accounts with commonwealth bank. Hopefully they get over it and just accept that no one wants to use their crap digital wallets and Apple Pay is the way to go.

Good time to shop for a more customer oriented bank...

 

[laudern]

I have all my accounts with commonwealth bank. Hopefully they get over it and just accept that no one wants to use their crap digital wallets and Apple Pay is the way to go.

Wow hold on there! While the commbank ipad app is admittedly pretty average, the iPhone commbank app is amazingly well done.

And with the commbank stick on NFC chip. I've been making contactless payments for a few years now it is nowhere near as secure as what apple pay is, it is still a pretty good substitute.

 

[swe]

While 31 it sounds impressive , some of these are really small.... really a non event until the other three major banks sign up....or even one of them.
[doublepost=1478682092][/doublepost]

Living in London. From everyone I know apple or android pay is utilised by such a small number. I commute by tube everyday , such a tiny minory use their phone for contactless

In Australia over 53% of the population use contactless (in America its 9%). This rate is growing and some banks now only offer contactless cards. We have the highest uptake of the PayWave technology in the world and being able to use our phone or watch for payments is preferred to simply our cards as Apple Pay and Mobile Pay are far more secure than contactless cards. So in Australia, it's the majority that use contactless - being with ANZ I find using ApplePay is just easier than using my card. Eventually I won't need a wallet!

 

[Robert.Walter]

I actually work for one of those major banks and I get their stance. All they are saying is if you want us to join the party you have to as well. If apple allow contactless payment through the NFC chip they will allow Apple Pay. It's a two way street.

To those saying that the other three will fold because of these other 31 are on board you are kidding yourself.

Apple got pissed off at google for entering their space (Steve jobs famous speech at town hall), well they have now moved into the banks space but don't want to negotiate, its apple holding this up not the banks, open the use of the chip and you have what you want.

They won't fold but for customers that want this feature, most banks will suffer customer defections as bank ecosystems are not very sticky.

 

[Glenn.955]

With ANZ + my credit union I'm 100% covered.

Funny the 3 banks going to ACCC because they want to be less competitive.

I don't think they should open their NFC chip to the banks - not sure I really trust the banks to do a secure job. I do wish Apple could implement the ability to use other NFC services. Like my work pass, building FOB etc. And if it could somehow open my car even better!

 

[Robert.Walter]

Wow hold on there! While the commbank ipad app is admittedly pretty average, the iPhone commbank app is amazingly well done.

And with the commbank stick on NFC chip. I've been making contactless payments for a few years now it is nowhere near as secure as what apple pay is, it is still a pretty good substitute.

Stick on RF chips, fobs or bracelets are just a booby prize offered by low-tech banks as a way to try and retain customers (and they are no more secure than contactless cards.)
[doublepost=1478705610][/doublepost]

With ANZ + my credit union I'm 100% covered.

Funny the 3 banks going to ACCC because they want to be less competitive.

I don't think they should open their NFC chip to the banks - not sure I really trust the banks to do a secure job. I do wish Apple could implement the ability to use other NFC services. Like my work pass, building FOB etc. And if it could somehow open my car even better!

Those other functions, isn't that what LE Bluetooth is for?
[doublepost=1478705808][/doublepost]

This will drive customer movement and demand. A small select group like it was before would not make much difference. But when it's "everybody except the big three," they will find themselves without a choice, as they will have to explain to customers that/why they can't Apple Pay - customers who don't care about the bank's desire to remain control-freaks, only that they can't pay the way they should be able to. The banks' reasons have nothing to do with customers' best interests, only with the banks' best interests - there's no up-side for customers with Apple Pay not being available. And that fact will ultimately wear them down, sooner or later. Just as it was with the collapse of the auto industry, one will blink (probably the #3 bank, having the most to lose), and the other two will fall into line. History will record which bank was the last to comply.

Problem for the big bank boycott cartel is that once customers who want AP start to look at alternatives they might see more things that make them defect. If ANZ and co offer a little incentive to move over, this might tip the balance.

 

[MH01]

In Australia over 53% of the population use contactless (in America its 9%). This rate is growing and some banks now only offer contactless cards. We have the highest uptake of the PayWave technology in the world and being able to use our phone or watch for payments is preferred to simply our cards as Apple Pay and Mobile Pay are far more secure than contactless cards. So in Australia, it's the majority that use contactless - being with ANZ I find using ApplePay is just easier than using my card. Eventually I won't need a wallet!

Im from oz. While contactless is very popular, Apple pay and android pay is not at this point

 

[truthertech]

After 2 years, with institutions in only 11 countries signed onto AP - this pretty much sums it all up.

YET another niche service from Apple ... simply drifting.

Mr. Troll, do you have any sense for how little sense your post makes? In just a short period of time Apple Pay has owned the US market--on just 18 months they now have over 75% of the entire US market--and it's growing literally at an exponential rate worldwide, up 500% in just the last quarter!

And I know you don't understand how all of this works, but no countries don't "sign up" for Apple Pay. Every single bank or credit union has to sign up individually, and now almost 4000 thousand have done so with Apple Pay. Every single merchant has to decide to put in the technology, and now millions of places worldwide take it. Every single user has to decide to activate it and now they are adding a million users a week!

Sorry to shame you so completely, but back to your bridge to lick your wounds.

 

[tmiw]

After all time I doubt it . They would have lost the really keen apple fans already, and frankly those numbers in the grand scheme would be very very small.

Living in London. From everyone I know apple or android pay is utilised by such a small number. I commute by tube everyday , such a tiny minory use their phone for contactless

If demand was as weak as people think, I'm sure AmEx UK wouldn't be trying to bring tap to pay to its own app instead of joining Android Pay.

 

[RedOrchestra]

In just a short period of time Apple Pay has owned the US market

I repeat, only financial institutions in 11 countries are on board - hardly a worldbeater that AP. And in the great USA you're hard pressed to find a merchant who has a contactless pay POS terminal outside of McDonalds and Chick filet.

I'm 6 weeks in Europe and while AP can be used (I've been using it but almost all the stores and restaurants I've used it in are seeing it used for the first time) countries like Germany, Austria, Italy, or any of the Balkans don't have any institutions offering AP.

Nothing but another fringe service from that worldbeater Apple. Time to move on truther.

And by the way, for those of us living in countries that have had contactless pay debit/cards for years - AP doesn't bring much to the party.

One last point, next time you're in Berlin - take cash, lots of cash - because you'll find it difficult to find places that take credit cards period, never mind your beloved AP.

 

[tmiw]

And in the great USA you're hard pressed to find a merchant who has a contactless pay POS terminal outside of McDonalds and Chick filet.

A few months ago I actually tracked how many times I used Apple Pay over the course of a month and was actually able to use it for ~30% of transactions. A few years ago that would have been close to 0--if I had any form of contactless payment on me at all. (And it wasn't all just at places like McDonald's either.)

So while acceptance is probably not growing as fast as anyone would like, it is growing.

 

[truthertech]

I repeat, only financial institutions in 11 countries are on board - hardly a worldbeater that AP. And in the great USA you're hard pressed to find a merchant who has a contactless pay POS terminal outside of McDonalds and Chick filet.

I'm 6 weeks in Europe and while AP can be used (I've been using it but almost all the stores and restaurants I've used it in are seeing it used for the first time) countries like Germany, Austria, Italy, or any of the Balkans don't have any institutions offering AP.

Nothing but another fringe service from that worldbeater Apple. Time to move on truther.

And by the way, for those of living in countries that have had contactless pay debit/cards for years - AP doesn't bring much to the party.

One last point, next time you're in Berlin - take cash, lots of cash - because you'll find it difficult to find places that take credit cards period, never mind your beloved AP.

Back for more?

1) Hint, the reason you aren't finding institutions in Germany, Austria, Italy and the Balkans offering Apple Pay is because it hasn't been deployed in those countries yet. Per Apple, Spain, Germany and Taiwan are on schedule to be added for 2016.

2) You can make up stuff such as Apple Pay is only found at McDonalds and Chick-Fil-A, but the truth is that it is now accepted at millions of locations. Here's list of just some of the US locations

https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/where-to-use/

There's a reason a million users a week are signing up.

3) Oh, and those "fringe" Apple services, like Apple Pay, have been so successful and are growing so large that they now constitute a Fortune 100 company all by themselves.

4) Apple Pay on the web, just deployed, is now already the fifth largest on line pay service. Soon they will be #2 to Paypal.

Apple Pay has a long way to g, but strive to be an honest critic, then you can shave with the lights on.