The Google wallet arrives in Argentina

Google press release

This is an automated translation of the original press release issued in Spanish

Argentina, June 6, 2023 - Google announces the arrival of its virtual wallet in Argentina, within the framework of the expansion of this product to new territories and totaling almost 70 countries where it is already used. After working together with the local ecosystem, the Google Wallet is now available so that people can make contactless payments from their Android and Wear OS devices, with the cards of financial institutions added to it. In addition, they will be able to add boarding passes for 30 international airlines. The app is now available to download on the Google Play Store for free.

The use of digital wallets has expanded strongly in Argentina: according to a study that Google commissioned Offerwise, 64% of those surveyed in Argentina reported frequently using digital wallets as their preferred payment method. While their main motivators for opening an account in a virtual wallet for the first time are: online purchases (49%), followed by the benefits they offer (45%) and having a more secure payment option (36%). Also, this trend will continue in the coming years. According to the Global Payments Report 2023, it is projected that the use of digital wallets for online purchases will have an annual growth rate of 26% by 2026 and 21% in the case of their use in physical stores.

“During the last few years, we have seen a great change in consumer habits, marked by the digitization of many essential elements of our daily lives, and Argentina is no exception. Today, the cell phone is not just a work tool or a means to socialize and share experiences, it is above all an ally to go through our journey, with the elements we use daily, such as debit and credit cards, boarding passes and tickets. for events, among others”, says Víctor Valle , General Director of Google Argentina. And he adds: “At Google we believe that giving more and more people access to these types of tools free of charge is essential for technology to have a positive and forceful impact on our day to day. That is why we celebrate the arrival of the Google Wallet in Argentina so that together with our partners we can continue contributing to the growth of the digital ecosystem in the country”.

Strategic collaborations, the key to accessibility

Making contactless payments increasingly accessible requires working together with the financial ecosystem. For the launch, in this first stage, VISA and Mastercard cards were incorporated into the Google Wallet, by BBVA (VISA and Mastercard), Banco Galicia (VISA and Mastercard), Banco Macro (VISA), Brubank (VISA ), Grapefruit (Mastercard) and Openbank (VISA). In addition, contactless payments in stores are possible thanks to multiple players in the ecosystem, such as Mercado Pago, Fiserv and Payway, among others.

Regarding this collaboration with the financial sector, Armando Betancourt, Google Pay Alliances Leader for Latin America commented: “The Google Wallet works as an open ecosystem that connects people with businesses. Thanks to the strategic collaboration that we were able to establish in the almost 70 countries where it is available, we can build an increasingly accessible product to facilitate the relationship between customers, merchants and issuers, reducing friction at the time of payment”.

And he adds: “The Google Wallet is not just a means of payment, it seeks to give the user a 360 experience that can accompany them throughout the day. Today, in addition to the integration of debit and credit cards in Argentina, we also offer the possibility of adding boarding passes and accessing up-to-date flight information. But the potential of the Wallet is even greater: it can offer services such as event ticket integration, movie tickets and benefit cards, among other things. This launch in Argentina is also an invitation to more companies and developers to add their services in a simple and independent way to make them accessible to their users”.

Ease of secure and contactless payments

To make contactless payments at merchants where these transactions are accepted and to make secure purchases on websites and apps, Google Wallet uses Google Pay. In this way, users of Android devices with NFC technology and Wear OS have access to a fast, simple and secure way to pay with their phone. In addition, Google Pay does not charge users, merchants or issuers fees for each transaction and is integrated into the Google account, so it can be used when accessing the account and works on all browsers, platforms and devices.

To add a credit or debit card to Google Wallet, users need to open the app, select the “Add to Wallet” option, and choose the “Add Payment Cards” option. If you have cards already saved in your Google account, they will appear as an option to add automatically. New cards can also be added using the device's camera or entering the data manually. Finally, you must save and accept the terms and conditions of the issuing entity.

Access to boarding passes from the cell phone

Boarding passes can be added once check-in is complete and, from the Wallet, all the information available on a physical card can be seen, such as passenger name, boarding gate, flight number, boarding and departure time, group boarding pass and seat number. In turn, in the Wallet you can see updated information on the flight status and estimated time of departure, from Google Flights, under the boarding pass. Currently, people can incorporate the boarding passes of the more than 30 international airlines, such as LATAM, Gol, United, Lufthansa, Aeroméxico, KLM and Air France.

Security and privacy built in by design

The Google Wallet allows people to move around Argentina and the rest of the world without having to worry about the security or privacy of their data. First, storing cards in Google Wallet is more secure than moving with physical cards because: 1) it uses a device-specific alternate card number (token) associated with a dynamic security code that changes with each transaction, in this way, the real numbers of the card are never shared; 2) it requires a screen unlock method to use and 3) in case you lose your device, you can use the “ Find my device ” function to lock it, change your password and even erase the information on your device.

On the other hand, the Google Wallet includes granular settings so that users can manage their privacy settings and have full control over the information that is saved in the Google account. In addition, they can change the settings at any time and from the Google Wallet application or from a computer.

What is coming In the coming months, users will be able to digitize those passes that contain a barcode or QR, such as tickets, membership cards or parking tickets. To create a digital version of these passes and add it to Google Wallet, all you have to do is take a photo and upload it to the app.

About Google LLC.

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