FNB app lets go of the tap-to-pay option

First National Bank (FNB) has revealed that it has officially discontinued its contactless tap-to-pay feature for Android smartphone users, citing the influence of global digital wallet solutions like Google Wallet as a driving factor. FNB initially introduced tap-to-pay in 2016, following the trend set by contactless payment methods such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay in the United States. 

The head of card digitization at FNB, Jason Viljoen said that the focus is now on streamlining “in-app customer journeys” for Android devices, including the option to register for Google Wallet directly through the FNB app. Users are encouraged to add their virtual cards to Google Wallet, with the process involving changing the default wallet on the device to Google Wallet. 

The shift comes as FNB observes the growing adoption of contactless payments among its customers. Last year, the bank reported that over 50% of all customer card payments were conducted using tap-to-pay, while chip and PIN payments continued to decline. 

The official launch of Google Wallet with Google Pay in South Africa in August 2022 provided Android users with expanded contactless payment capabilities. This service supports cards from major local banks, offering a more flexible option for Android users compared to competing digital wallet apps like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay, and Fitbit Pay. 

Samsung users have had access to tap-to-pay functionality since the launch of Samsung Pay in South Africa in August 2018, which has since been integrated into Samsung Wallet. 

Users looking to make contactless payments require near-field communications (NFC) and host card emulation (HCE)-enabled devices. While Google Wallet is available for iOS devices through the Apple App Store, it does not support Google Pay’s tap-on-phone functionality for iPhone users, who must use Apple Pay instead.