Non-major bank launches Google Pay

ME Bank has announced that its customers will have a new cashless option with the launch of the payment application for Android smartphones.

ME customers will now be able to connect their ME debit and credit cards to Google Pay for use in-store, online and via apps, both in Australia and for overseas online shopping.

Customers whose smartphones are running Android Lollipop 5.0 or higher can use the contactless payment facility.

The bank noted that Google Pay protects payment information with multiple layers of security.

Commenting on the launch, ME group chief executive, customer banking, Craig Ralston said: “Our customers are using cash less, and contactless and digital payments more, so it makes sense for ME to increase the number of ways our customers can pay digitally with the addition of Google Pay.”

This announcement by ME Bank follows its introduction of Apple Pay for cardholders in July.

According to ME payment data, ATM withdrawals have almost halved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Total withdrawals have declined 45 per cent between March and August this year compared with the six months prior between September 2019 and February 2020.

The total dollar amount withdrawn from ATM by customers also fell by 31 per cent over the same period.

[Related: Digital wallet use soars amid COVID-19 restrictions]

Malavika Santhebennur is the features editor on the mortgages titles at Momentum Media.

Before joining the team in 2019, Malavika held roles with Money Management and Benchmark Media. She has been writing about financial services for the past six years.