Barclays plans Android contactless payment app launch in June

Customers of the bank with an eligible NFC-enabled Android phone will soon be able to make payments of up to £30 by tapping their phone against a retailer terminal, without needing to open the app, enter a PIN, or verify with a fingerprint.

Visa said contactless commuting on Transport for London services is one reason for this accelerated growth, with more than 400 million contactless journeys since launch.

Taking inspiration from the existing contactless payment service now in place by bank branches all across the United Kingdom, you’ll also be able to make smaller transactions PIN-free, as long as they don’t exceed the £30 minimum (for security reasons).

The app will roll out in June, with Barclays contacting customers directly when the service becomes available. All cards will automatically appear, and can be selected for payment as required. The app was all set by January, ready to compete with the likes of Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay.

Barclays is launching its own contactless payments service for Android phones.

It’s no surprise to see that Barclays is pushing forward with its own mobile payment system instead of Android Pay. Mobile payment services like Apple Pay have also given contactless a boost, said the company, although it could not give a breakdown of the transactions completed with smartphones or smartwatches.

Android Pay is due to launch imminently in the United Kingdom, supported by several big banks, including HSBC and Lloyds.

At present Barclays is not on the list of banks that will be covered by Android Pay when it launches in the next few months.

Ashok Vaswani, chief executive of Barclays UK, explained that the firm is hopeful that customers will find the ability to pay in this way appealing.

“But most customers want one mobile payment app, not different apps for multiple services – this will make for a fractured experience”, he added.