ANZ Bank extends mobile wallets to MasterCard customers
(2 September 2016 – Australia) ANZ Bank has added MasterCard credit cards to its Apple Pay and Android Pay functions.
While other major Australian banks continue to resist Apple’s payment service, ANZ Bank has embraced both mobile wallet systems, extending coverage to include MasterCard users.
Initially, Apple Pay and Android Pay are only available to ANZ customers with a Visa debit or credit card or an American Express credit card. By including MasterCard, ANZ Bank has extended the coverage to over 500,000 ANZ MasterCard credit card holders.
“Over half a million people have MasterCard with us, it’s really just our credit card base – its important to broaden the people who are eligible to use it," said Matt Boss, ANZ’s managing director of products and marketing.
ANZ launched its partnership with Apple Pay five months ago.
“It is going really really well. Within about the first 3 months of having Apple Pay, roughly more than 20 percent of eligible customers have loaded their cards into Apple Pay,” Boss said.
Earlier, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) denied the request of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank, and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank for an interim authorisation to force Apple to open iPhone's near field communication (NFC) antenna to enable contactless payments to be made through their respective digital wallets.
The ANZ was reportedly part of the group but later on decided to withdraw. It now offers customers with an alternative. “You won't find Apple Pay at the other big banks, so apply for your eligible ANZ card,” the bank's website reads.
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