Android Pay Now In Taiwan

Google is making a big push with Android Pay, announcing Thursday (June 1) it is now in Taiwan, marking the thirteenth country for the payment service.

According a report, the entrance into Taiwan comes on the heels of entering Russia and Canada in the past several days. With the launch in Taiwan, the company has support of local shops, applications and banks. Google didn’t say how many retailers in Taiwan now accept Android Pay, although Starbucks, PX Mart, Carrefour and Watsons are supporting the payment method, the report said. In the coming days Android Pay will roll out support from credit card firms Mastercard and Visa. The two banks that are supporting Android Pay in Taiwan are CTBC and First Bank. Others coming include EnTie Bank, Hua Nan Bank and Shin Kong Bank, according to the report.

In late May, Google announced the rollout of Android Pay in Russia. With that launch users could make digital payments in 11 time zones. According to a report citing Google, thousands of places in Russia, including Magnit, Perekrestok, Starbucks, KFC and Rosneft, already accept Android Pay. What’s more, consumers in Russia shopping online with apps such as Lamoda, OneTwoTrip or Rambler-Kassa can check out with Android Pay and don’t have to worry about entering payment details. Google said it teamed with several payment processors in the country to make it easier for Russian merchants to accept Android Pay. In April, Android Pay announced new partnerships with a handful of banks from around the globe, including Bank of America, USAA, Bank of New Zealand, Discover and mBank. According to Google, the mobile payment technology will be integrated into the service of the banks’ own mobile apps, making it the first time Android Pay is being made available within mobile banking apps, TechCrunch reported.