Apple’s biometrically secured mobile wallet may soon be in the pockets of many Austrians. The company is now in talks with Payment Services Austria (PSA), which is reportedly negotiating on behalf of all of the country’s banks.
An Austrian launch would represent Apple Pay’s continuing march across Europe, with the platform having recently gone live in Ukraine, Norway, and Poland. Support for the NFC technology needed for Apple Pay’s contactless payments is widespread throughout Europe, making the region one that may be of particular interest to Apple, though the company is thought to have faced some tough negotiations with domestic banks taking issue with its service fees.
It may be worth noting that Apple has not officially confirmed it is in talks to bring Apple Pay to Austria, but the PSA acknowledged the talks to the Austrian paper Der Standard, and Apple’s launch of its first retail store in the country in February may be a sign of the company’s interest in the market. Relying on two unnamed sources, Der Standard says that the negotiations are expected to conclude soon, with Apple Pay launching in the country “in the coming months.”
Other European countries in which Apple Pay is already live include Denmark, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, and the UK.
Sources: Der Standard, 9to5Mac, AppleInsider
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