Curve extends Google Pay to 10 more countries in Europe

Curve, the banking platform that combines multiple cards and accounts into one smart card and app, today rolls outs Google Pay on its platform to 10 more countries in Europe. 

Customers in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal and Romania can now connect all their Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards to Google Pay through Curve, even if their banks do not support Google Pay, thanks to Curve’s own technology. Curve customers in these countries now have the same easy, fast and secure  access to payments, via their Android phones, as customers in the UK. 

This opens up contactless to many Curve customers for the first time. Some banks in Europe don’t support Google Pay or contactless directly. Curve customers of these banks, who have a Curve card, can now connect their cards to Google Pay, and so shop contactless for the first  time. 

As Europe speeds up adoption of non-cash payments, contactless is fast becoming an essential form of payment for customers and merchants. Covid-19 has sharply accelerated this trend, with around 48 per cent of all payment transactions at points of sale in Europe currently touch free. Stores and shoppers increasingly want, and need, to make payments without cash. 

Curve Founder and CEO, Shachar Bialick, said: “The first phase of Google Pay rollout in  Europe was a major success, tapping into the need for a simpler, more secure and convenient  way to pay. I’m excited to extend this power to Curve customers in another 10 European  countries. Adding Google Pay to Curve is an important step to unlocking easier, more secure  and convenient finance, a driver of our mission to make people’s finances seamless.” 

Customers in Germany, Poland, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Czech Republic, Belgium, Croatia, and Slovakia were added to Google Pay in September. Individuals with Android phones continue to enjoy Curve’s growing array of  features, including its store loyalty programmes, the ability to Go Back in Time for 90 days (extended from 14 during Covid-19), fantastic foreign exchange rates and 1% Curve Cashback. 

Curve Head of Product, Aimee Ruddy, said: “We’re happy to be able to extend Google Pay  on Curve to our customers in 10 more countries in Europe. What we’re seeing is that touchless  payments are becoming a must-have in Europe. For those whose traditional bank cards don’t  support Near Field Communication (NFC) technology it could boost how they manage their  money. At Curve, we listen closely to our customers and evolve our product in response to  their needs. I love that we’re able to deliver on this pledge continually and flexibly.” 

Curve’s rollout of Google Pay across Europe is the latest development in its partnerships programme in recent months. For the first time in September, Curve customers could access loyalty programmes from the most well-known and loved retail brands in Europe, including  Apple, Amazon, Booking.com, Lidl, McDonalds, Netflix, Spotify, Shell and Uber. Curve customers are now able to add, store, and collect points on any loyalty cards, ensuring they never again miss a shop reward.