Google Pay tests NFC-based contact-less card payment feature in India

Now, more will be possible in the Google Pay app. According to some reports, the digital wallet platform in India is set to offer card payment option, using limited debit and credit cards, in addition to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) option. With the new feature, users will be able to employ near-field communication (NFC) technology and successfully conduct contactless payments. As of now, no confirmation has come from the authority, but a few support pages have gone live. While one page explains how one can add a card to Google Pay, the other page gives more of a general idea about the ‘tokenisation’ method used to clear such payments. These pages also tell that the system is currently available only on Axis Bank credit/debit and SBI credit cards. You can use your card to make three kinds of payments — tap and pay (NFC), Bharat QR and in-app merchants. According to a report on Android Police, you need to set up your card before starting to avail these services. This can be done through a “quick verification process that involves punching in an OTP received from your bank”. After this, your phone will work as the card and you can tap it and pay at NFC-enabled terminals. It will also be able to scan Bharat QR codes and make online payments. The portal also found a Reddit thread where users have written that they have seen this feature pop up in their G Pay apps in the last month. This means the feature is a server side roll out and only a set group of users have access to it right now. In order to maintain security, users will have to register the card every time they change their phone or reset it.