Google Wallet officially launched in Pakistan on Wednesday, enabling Android users to utilize the digital platform to store payment information and boarding passes.
In a statement, the tech giant said Google Wallet provides people a safer, simpler, and more helpful payment experience. It said the Wallet would also store digital items such as loyalty cards and boarding passes and would be available to all Pakistani Android users via the Google Play Store.
“Pakistan’s digital payments landscape is evolving rapidly, and with more people embracing digital transactions, Google Wallet provides a secure, seamless, and efficient way to make payments, shop, and travel,” said Farhan Qureshi, Country Director for Google Pakistan. “It will enable Pakistanis to tap-and-pay in stores, check out seamlessly online, and easily access their boarding passes when they travel,” he added.
According to Qureshi, Google Wallet would help keep all relevant information in a single location and would support financial inclusion in the country. “This milestone further cements Google’s unwavering commitment to Pakistan, reinforcing our belief in its digital future and potential,” he said.
Visa and MasterCard Debit and Credit Card holders with accounts at Bank AlFalah, Bank of Punjab, Faysal Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited, JazzCash, Meezan Bank, and UBL can avail the option to add their payment information to Google Wallet. Subsequently, they will be able to make contactless payments with their Android phones or WearOS devices if their phones are enabled with Near Field Communication. According to Google, cardholders of Allied Bank, EasyPaisa Digital Bank, JS Bank and Zindigi will also be able to avail the services shortly.
In addition to storing and accessing payment cards, users can add boarding passes from Batik Air and Thai Airways to Google Wallet. Further, they will be able to tap and pay securely using Google Wallet during overseas travel, without the need for their physical card.
If a user already has an eligible credit or debit card saved to their Google account, it will automatically appear in Google Wallet. If the card is not already saved, it can be added through the app after a verification process.
The Google statement stressed that privacy and security are the cornerstones of Google Wallet, utilizing industry-standard tokenization to keep transactions safe and secure.