From today, all BNP Paribas Fortis, Hello bank! and Fintro customers who possess a smartphone with the Android operating system and a Maestro debit card will be able to use the Android Pay contactless payment solution. Some months ago our customers holding a Visa or Mastercard credit card became the first to benefit from this innovation in Belgium. Through this partnership between BNP Paribas Fortis and Google, Belgium now becomes the first country in the world to offer Android Pay on Maestro debit cards.
Smartphone payments are set to become increasingly widespread in Belgium, especially among BNP Paribas Fortis customers. Following Visa and Mastercard holders, all clients of BNP Paribas Fortis, Hello bank! and Fintro who possess a smartphone with the Android[1] operating system will henceforth be able to purchase goods and services from merchants all over the world by using the Android Pay mobile payment facility.
Through this partnership between BNP Paribas Fortis and Google, Belgium now becomes the first country in the world to offer Android Pay on Maestro debit cards.
In order to use this innovative digital wallet, customers will simply need to download the Android Pay app free of charge from the Google Play store and load their debit card into it. The user may then choose his/her preferred authentication method, i.e. by SMS, through the Easy Banking Centre or via the Easy Banking App. S/he can then go to one of the many sales outlets equipped with a Near Field Communication (NFC) payment terminal to experience this simple and secure contactless payment method. Today more than half of the payment terminals are compatible with the Android Pay solution and the number is increasing rapidly.
Shopping without a physical wallet or card, at no extra charge
With this innovative solution, BNP Paribas Fortis customers will be able to settle all their day-to-day purchases, using the ‘Tap & Pay’ method, without any extra charges. There is no longer any need to search through your bag or pockets for your wallet and then pull out cash or a card to pay for purchases. All you have to do is bring your smartphone close to a payment terminal displaying the contactless symbol anywhere in the world where NFC payments are accepted. The transaction will be carried out in real time on your smartphone screen. Moreover, this innovative method also enables customers to make payments with their smartphone just as easily within mobile apps and on e-commerce sites.
Meanwhile the ease and convenience of this solution in no way compromise security and data confidentiality. Customers can finalise a contactless transaction without having to unlock their smartphone, for purchases up to a maximum of €25. However, once the user has completed three such purchases without unlocking the phone in the meantime, s/he will be required, as a security measure, to turn the screen on before making a fourth transaction. For all payments above €25, customers are systematically required to unlock their smartphone in order to finalise their purchase.
A high level of security
Details of all purchases are available for the user’s reference in the Android Pay app, and can be used to help keep track of one’s purchases and identify any potentially fraudulent transactions. Transaction details are safely stored on Google’s secure servers.
The payment method is based on ‘tokenisation’ – creating for the data exchange a ‘token’ which is specific to the device and limited in scope and time. The token is linked to a dynamic security code that changes for each individual transaction.
In addition, should the smartphone be lost or stolen, the Find My Device tool enables the user to instantly lock the device remotely, protect its contents by setting a new password or even delete all personal data entered in it. In such cases, the client is required to block the card via Cardstop, just as when the card itself has been lost or stolen.
“We’re delighted to be able to offer our clients this additional means of payment,” declared BNP Paribas Fortis CEO Max Jadot, underlining: “This contactless mobile payment solution brings added value for both consumers and merchants. It will increase customer satisfaction through its simple, convenient use and by reducing waiting time at the checkout, it eliminates all the inconvenience of handling cash, reduces the risk of error and, last but not least, will help to minimise the transport of notes and coins between retail businesses and the Bank.”
Thierry Geerts, Country Manager, Google Belgium stated: "We’re now seeing an unprecedented surge in mobile payments in Belgium. Digital technology enables people to pay for their purchases in shops and online in a simple and secure manner. This move to add debit cards to Android Pay now allows all BNP Paribas Fortis, Hello Bank! and Fintro customers to use the free-of-charge Android Pay app and avoid having to take out their wallets while shopping. Moreover, our intention is not to be merely a payment solution but a complete retail solution. Merchants can for example run their loyalty programmes and offer promotions through the app."
[1] Customers need to have an Android 4.4 smartphone or higher, equipped with NFC functionality, and must ensure that the NFC functionality is switched on in the phone’s settings.
