Android Pay is live in Ireland with Mastercard from today

With Android Pay now live in Ireland from today, Mastercard cardholders have even more ways to make safe and convenient payments with their Android phone. Android Pay enables seamless and secure contactless payments at more than 45,000 locations throughout Ireland, and millions more worldwide, wherever contactless payments are accepted.

Owners of eligible Android devices – those using Android v4.4 ‘KitKat’ or newer which are enabled for use with contactless – can use Android Pay now. Once an eligible Mastercard cardholder downloads the app and sets up an account, they’re ready to shop with their device.

Users can add their Mastercard credit and debit cards onto the payment app, with customers of AIB and KBC able to load their cards today. Once the simple set up is completed, devices can be used to pay in the same way as a contactless card. Higher value contactless payments can be made through Android Pay, over and above the 30 euro Irish limit, because the cardholder will be able to authenticate with their preferred method.

Jason Lalor, General Manager for Mastercard Ireland, said: “This is a landmark for digital payments in Ireland, and as such we are thrilled to be working with Google and our partner banks on behalf of our cardholders. Every Android Pay transaction made with a Mastercard enjoys the highest level of security today. Cardholder details are encrypted so retailers won’t see them.”

In setting up a device for Android Pay, Mastercard generates a digital “token” that is associated with each particular device and stored on a secure server. This means that not only is the token number different from the ‘real’ card number but it is also specific to the cardholder’s device and therefore can’t be used in conjunction with any other device.

This process is powered by the MasterCard Digital Enablement Service (MDES), which enables mobile phones and other ‘commerce devices’ to make payments using industry-standard ‘tokenisation’.

This process of ‘tokenisation’ means when a consumer uses their Android device in a transaction, it is the token and not their real card number that is provided to the shop. For shoppers and retailers alike, every MasterCard purchase made through Android Pay offers all the benefits and guarantees of a transaction with a physical card.

MasterCard has launched the MDES service with over 660 banks around the world, and more than 50 MDES projects have gone live in Europe. By the end of June this year, more than 40 million cards had already been secured thanks to this platform.

Speaking to Irish Tech News, Pali Bhat, Senior Director, Product Management, Google  said “We’re excited to bring the simplicity and security of mobile payments to Mastercard customers with Android Pay. Starting today, people will be able to use their Android phone to pay in-store at thousands of locations across Ireland as well as in some of their favourite apps.”
Because it utilises the Mastercard Digital Enablement Service, Android Pay can be used at any of the six million locations where MasterCard contactless is accepted in 77 countries worldwide.

For more information about Android Pay and to view a full list of participating issuers, visit: https://blog.google/products/android/

How Android Pay works:

· Android Pay enables Android users to seamlessly tap and pay with their phones at thousands of
payment terminals in shops in Ireland with more locations being added every day
· To use Android Pay, you’ll need to download the Android Pay app from the Google Play Store
· Sign up for Android Pay through the app, add your preferred credit and debit cards and you are ready to shop
· To use Android Pay in a shop, simply wake up your phone screen, hold it near the contactless terminal, and your payment will be complete
· To use Android Pay in-app, it’s as simple as tap. Simply choose Android Pay when checking out and your payment and delivery details are already completed for you.

Please note: if users haven’t added their card details within their phone’s settings or within the Android Pay app, they will not see the option to use Android Pay.

A Podcast interview with Mike Cowen, VP of product management for Mastercard and Jason Lalor, General Manager for Mastercard Ireland will be published next week.