In a First, California Launches Trial Enabling Customers to Pay with Contactless Bank Cards and Receive Senior Discounts–All in One Tap

Card tapped at terminal-California
California officials have launched a new phase in one of their trials of open-loop payments in the state–testing a solution to the problem of how to grant discounts to seniors or other customer segments with the same contactless EMV payments cards the...

Moscow Metro Expands Test of ‘Virtual Troika’ in Pays Wallets, as It Continues to Develop Digital-Payments Services

Hand with virtual Troika card at Moscow Metro gate.
Moscow Metro is recruiting more users to test its “Virtual Troika” card in two NFC wallets, those supporting Google Pay and Samsung Pay, as one of the world’s largest subway operators continues to seek more ways for its customers to pay for rides....
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Major Bus Operators in Hong Kong Now Accepting Open-Loop Payments–Adding More Competition for Octopus

JCB card being tapped on reader on board Kowloon Motor Bus, next to Octopus reader
Two more bus operators in Hong Kong on Saturday launched acceptance of open-loop contactless fare payments, with both also accepting QR code-based mobile ticketing–as the near ubiquitous closed-loop Octopus card continues to see more competition. [...]

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Exclusive: NFC Wallets Grow as Share of Contactless Fare Payments and Not Only Because of Covid

Transit agencies that have rolled out open-loop contactless payments are seeing growing use of NFC wallets to pay fares, as Covid-wary passengers see convenience in tapping their phones or wearables to pay. [...]

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