Payment Technology

Swiss watch smart glass maker Winwatch has teamed up with mobile payments company MuchBetter for an analog wristwatch that can make contactless payments thanks to technology hidden in its sapphire crystal.

In the UK, folks making contactless (NFC) card payments at stores and supermarkets are limited on how much they can ring up at the checkouts. But for a few NatWest customers that limit is set to disappear, as the bank launches a trial for using biometric authentication when making card payments.

Many cities have busking musicians belting out some tunes so that the public can show their appreciation by throwing loose change into a guitar case. London is no exception, but thanks to a new project launched by iZettle and Busk in London, folks will now be able to tap-to-pay using credit cards.

According to the experts, quantum cryptography is the most secure way to send data. Based on the laws of physics, any attempt to steal a quantum key not only changes it but also alerts the sender and receiver. So why not use it to make mobile transactions more secure, if not, hack-proof?​​

Sydney startup Inamo has developed the Curl, a wearable, waterproof device containing a prepaid NFC chip that can bring tap-and-go payments to any regular watch, fitness tracker or piece of jewelry.

If paying for something with your smartphone still seems like a strange concept, then news that you'll soon be able to do so with a selfie is likely all the more confusing. Indeed, though, MasterCard is set to roll-out both facial recognition and fingerprint payment authorization.

Described as a "smart wallet," the Wocket is designed to securely store electronic versions of your various cards, plus it features a swipe-able physical card that can be programmed for single uses.

Mobile payments business Loop has circumvented this requirement by using technology that is already built into the vast majority of payment terminals.

The PayTouch system allows users to make purchases using their fingerprints in place of a debit or credit card.

PayTango is a fingerprint-based identification and payment system currently being piloted in three locations at Carnegie Mellon University.

DipJar allows card-using customers at businesses such as coffee shops to leave tips with a simple "dip" of their card.

Designed with the retail and hospitality sectors in mind, the DLI 9000 Rugged Mobile Tablet is available with a 5-in-1 mobile payment module to offer customers secure payment options at the point of sale.