UniCredit : Bank launches the Apple Pay service for its clients in Czech Republic

UniCredit Bank's Mastercard debit cards can be uploaded into your digital wallet (Wallet) in Apple smart devices and used for convenient and secure payments with NFC technology. After all, 40 per cent of the Czechs confirm that they want to use or already use Apple Pay or another mobile payment and digital wallet.

From mid-July, the new service will be available to UniCredit Bank clients with Mastercard cards who own an Apple device. With Apple Pay, clients can make contactless payments in shops, on the Internet, and withdraw cash from ATMs using contactless technology.

'Introducing Apple Pay is another step towards the strengthening of our long-term relationship with clients,' says Tomáš Drábek, Member of the Board of Directors and Head of Retail and Private Banking at UniCredit Bank. 'More than 40 per cent of the Czechs normally carry two or more payment cards. Thanks to Apple Pay, clients no longer need to search for their plastic card in their wallet or write down card data when paying on the Internet. All they need to do to make payments is simply use their smartphone or smartwatch that are always at hand,' adds Tomáš Drábek.

Bank´s public survey showed that 40 per cent of respondents use or want to use Apple Pay services or another mobile payment and digital wallet. The clear majority of respondents (85 per cent) said that the main reason for using pay-by-phone services is the convenience and speed of such services; 45 per cent of respondents further confirmed that they like to use modern services, and almost 30 per cent want to have all their cards in one device.*

'We are really glad that another major bank introduces their clients to the Apple Pay payment service, which, following its kick-off in the Czech Republic in February, helped revive interest in payment innovations and paying by mobile phone substantially. Apple Pay's benefits include speed, comfort and safety of transactions, which is ensured by the tokenization technology of Mastercard allowing for reliable connection of the mobile device with the payment card,' says Luděk Slouka, Director of Product and Innovation Development at Mastercard for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria.

Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

Apple Pay contactless payments can be made via individual Apple devices - iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad or MacBook. If clients want to have their card uploaded into several devices, they need to upload it separately into the device to improve security. Apple Pay payments can be made at all contactless terminals, both at home and abroad, as well as by contactless payment cards - by putting the device near the payment terminal which allows for contactless payments. Moreover, the service can also be used for online transactions.

When paying for goods and services on the go in apps or Safari, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, iPad (5th Generation), iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3 and later. You can also use Apple Pay in Safari on any Mac introduced in or after 2012 running macOS Sierra and confirm the payment with iPhone 6 or later or Apple Watch, or with Touch ID on the new MacBook Pro.

* Source: UniCredit Bank online survey of June 2019 made together with the IPSOS agency.