ANZ customers can start using Google’s Android Pay right now. Go!

For the launch, around 35 banks in Australia have partnered with Android Pay.

Beyond Bank Australia is teaming up with Google to become one of the first banks to launch Android Pay in Australia.

Once set up, you can use your smartphone (assuming it has NFC) to pay for goods from thousands of retailers across Australia – including 7-Eleven, Bing Lee, Brumby’s, Coles, Domino’s, Pizza Capers, Vodafone, and many more.

Android Pay Australia is certainly a few weeks late considering its competitors, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, have already marked their territories following the early launch.

Android Pay will be launching with support from 28 banks across the country, but of the largest four banks in the region, only the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group is supporting the roll out from the beginning. “I’m really confident we’ll get this going and then we’ll move onto the next thing together”, Elliott said.

ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott and ANZ GM deposits & payments Katherine Bray using Android Pay.

“Starting today, Aussie shoppers will be able to use Android Pay at nearly 800,000 contactless payment terminals across Australia”.

Contactless payment services are already offered by leading giants like Samsung, Apple, and some local private banks in Australia, but the ease of use differentiates Google’s payment app from others. While massive, the list is still not sufficient since the remaining three members of the Australian Big 3, National Australia Bank (NAB), Commonwealth Bank (CBA) and Westpac (WBC), have not joined yet.

In Asia, cellphones have been used as payment methods for many years. Much like Apple Pay, Android Pay provides merchants with a virtual account number rather than a user’s actual card details.

Android devices with the KitKat operating system or later can use Android Pay through the Near Field Communication chip in the phone or tablet to make purchases.

In case you are anxious about security, your actual card number is never shared with the retailer where you are making the payment.

“Choice is architected throughout our solution”, he says.