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14.12.2022

 

Erste Bank and Sparkassen launch Google Pay in Austria

  • Customers can use Android smartphone or smartwatch to pay in retail stores, apps or on the web
  • Google Pay can be activated by all customers in the George app for debit and credit cards
  • Strong upswing in mobile payment usage, particularly among young people

Google Pay is now available to all customers of Erste Bank and Sparkassen. They can now benefit from simple and convenient mobile payments by using an Android smartphone or an Android smartwatch in retail stores, in apps or on the web. Activating Google Pay in the George app is quick: the desired debit and credit cards are usually ready to use for mobile payments in less than three minutes. The benefits and functions associated with the cards are retained when they are being used in digital form. Customers can find activation instructions at www.sparkasse.at/google-pay.

Smartphone Wallet mit Karten

"We are the first retail bank in Austria to offer Google Pay. Google's modern and convenient payment solution is therefore available to a very large group of customers throughout Austria for the first time. Google Pay has been eagerly awaited by many of our customers. We want to give our customers the freedom to pay however they want: with cash or mobile solutions, from home or on the move, and of course also on the Internet", said Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller, CEO and Chief Retail Officer of Erste Bank. "Over the past few pandemic-driven years, more and more Austrians have made contactless payments using their smartphones or smartwatches. With around three-quarters of smartphone owners across Austria using Android, we expect Google Pay to contribute to a significant increase in mobile payments in the future." 

"We are very pleased that customers of Erste Bank and Sparkassen can now use Google Pay easily and securely for mobile payments via smartphone. Innovations like these are what Austrian consumers wish for today more than ever - and it’s a visible sign for Austria as a country. Today's announcement by Austria’s savings bank group is also a milestone on the country’s path to digitalization within the financial sector. We are very glad and would like to thank our partner Erste Bank for the great cooperation in this future-oriented implementation," said Christine Antlanger-Winter, Country Director Google Austria.