Apple Pay Launches in New Zealand

Apple Pay has made its debut in New Zealand, but with somewhat limited support. Only one card issuer in the country is currently backing the mobile payment platform, and that’s ANZ, whose customers can upload their Visa cards to the app.

It’s the same bank that is Apple’s only major supporter among financial institutions in neighboring Australia, where other banks have vehemently resisted the mPayment service’s arrival. It’s a battle that’s currently playing out before the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, to which those banks appealed for permission to negotiate with Apple as a block—Apple would say ‘cartel’—essentially over how Apple Pay will be allowed to compete against their own banking apps in the country.

Fortunately for Kiwis interested in the platform, a number of prominent merchants have formally announced their support, from multinationals like McDonald’s and BP to domestic interests such as Hallensteins and Pascoes. As is the case elsewhere, the service should be compatible with any POS machines supporting NFC technology, so Visa-carrying ANZ customers in New Zealand should have plenty of options.