14.12.2022
Erste Bank and Sparkassen launch Google Pay in Austria
- Customers can use Android smartphone or smartwatch to pay in retail stores, apps or on the web
- Google Pay can be activated by all customers in the George app for debit and credit cards
- Strong upswing in mobile payment usage, particularly among young people
Google Pay is now available to all customers of Erste Bank and Sparkassen. They can now benefit from simple and convenient mobile payments by using an Android smartphone or an Android smartwatch in retail stores, in apps or on the web. Activating Google Pay in the George app is quick: the desired debit and credit cards are usually ready to use for mobile payments in less than three minutes. The benefits and functions associated with the cards are retained when they are being used in digital form. Customers can find activation instructions at www.sparkasse.at/google-pay.
"We are the first retail bank in Austria to offer Google Pay. Google's modern and convenient payment solution is therefore available to a very large group of customers throughout Austria for the first time. Google Pay has been eagerly awaited by many of our customers. We want to give our customers the freedom to pay however they want: with cash or mobile solutions, from home or on the move, and of course also on the Internet", said Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller, CEO and Chief Retail Officer of Erste Bank. "Over the past few pandemic-driven years, more and more Austrians have made contactless payments using their smartphones or smartwatches. With around three-quarters of smartphone owners across Austria using Android, we expect Google Pay to contribute to a significant increase in mobile payments in the future."
"We are very pleased that customers of Erste Bank and Sparkassen can now use Google Pay easily and securely for mobile payments via smartphone. Innovations like these are what Austrian consumers wish for today more than ever - and it’s a visible sign for Austria as a country. Today's announcement by Austria’s savings bank group is also a milestone on the country’s path to digitalization within the financial sector. We are very glad and would like to thank our partner Erste Bank for the great cooperation in this future-oriented implementation," said Christine Antlanger-Winter, Country Director Google Austria.
Mobile payment is trending among young people
A recent and representative Integral survey shows that 72 percent of Austrians make contactless (NFC) payments. Eight percent of respondents say they pay using a mobile device, such as a smartphone or a smartwatch. Among Erste Bank and Sparkassen customers, up to 15 percent currently make such mobile payments - on average, 21 times per month. This figure had only been 6 percent in 2020. As the survey shows, young people between the ages of 20 and 29 are the age group most strongly represented among "mobile payers" (21 percent). In contrast, the share of mobile-paying people in the group of 30 to 39-year-olds is 11 percent. The trend for the next few years shows that mobile payment will continue to gain strongly in influence.
Easy and quick payments using Google Pay
Customers can pay quickly and easily with Google Pay wherever contactless payment is possible. For example, in restaurants, in retail stores, in cabs or at numerous vending machines. For security reasons, a screen lock must be set up when activating Google Pay, for example with a password, fingerprint or facial recognition. For amounts under 50 euros, the smartphone does not have to be unlocked separately. In addition to payment in retail stores or at local service providers, Google Pay can also be used to pay on the Internet or in apps.
Further information on Google Pay at Erste Bank and Sparkassen can be found at www.sparkasse.at/google-pay.