Android Pay continues its global expansion this week with the tap-to-pay service launching both in the Czech Republic and Brazil. The addition of these two countries comes on the heels of the service’s expansion into Ukraine last week. Now Android users in these two countries will be able to use their phones to pay for goods & services where it is accepted.
In the Czech Republic, over 144,000 locations now accept Android Pay including retailers like Billa, McDonald’s, Lidl and Penny Market. For Brazil, that country becomes the first Latin America country to have the service available. It too is available through a wide range of retailers and is available for customers of Banco do Brasil and Caixa.
While the focus here in the US on Android Pay is often about new financial institutions supporting it, the global expansion of the service is equally as important for Google as they battle for tap-to-pay supremacy.
Functionally, the service will work the same as it does everywhere in the Czech Republic and Brazil. For those who have an NFC capable phone, you can link your debt and credit cards to the app then use your phone to pay at retailers that accept NFC payments. It will be indicated on the pay terminal itself. Android Pay is encrypted and secure, much more so than swiping your card (which can be skimmed) or someone looking over your shoulder to see your card number.
Finally, for those of you in Slovakia, you can expect to see Android Pay come to you shortly. While Google did not give an exact date yet, it is likely that it will expand to the country before the end of the year.
