BRUSSELS – ING Belgium today announced the launch of Apple Pay for its customers. As a safe, convenient and private payment method, it now means customers no longer need to hand their debit card to another person, touch a physical button or redeem cash. Every transaction is protected thanks to iPhone’s high security. The 1.4 million customers1 who bank through the ING Banking app will now be able to make payments more easily using their ING card and Apple Pay.
To pay with Apple Pay, customers simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch close to a payment terminal to make a contactless payment. Every Apple Pay purchase is secure because it’s authenticated with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device password and a unique, one-time dynamic security code. Apple Pay is accepted at grocery stores, pharmacies, taxis, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and more. Apple Pay can be used at any payment terminal that accepts contactless transactions, which is almost every terminal in Belgium. Customers can now link their debit cards to Apple Pay. Later, they can also choose to link their ING credit card to the payment service.
ING recorded no fewer than 51.5 million contactless payments in the first five months of 2021, compared with 21.5 million in the same period last year. These contactless payments account for half of all in-store debit card payments, with an average amount of €19. Apple Pay offers the added benefit of automatic payment verification via the user’s iPhone alone, without the need for a debit card or entering a PIN, even for amounts over €50.