AMP Bank offers HCE for mobile payments

AMP Bank has joined Commonwealth Bank and CUA in adopting host card emulation technology for mobile payments.  Like CUA, AMP Bank is working in partnership with Cuscal to offer HCE.

The technology, which replaces the PayTag stickers attached to the back of smartphones, is available for Android users with a KitKat 4.4 or later operating system. Customers can make contactless payments up to A$100 by tapping their smartphones.

HCE is a system that allows the emulation of the consumer's payment card credentials to be based in the cloud and accessed by software.

The system most banks have been using is called phone-based secure element solution and requires the financial institution to work with handset manufacturers or telecommunications companies to embed the customer's account details in the phone.

Cuscal general manager of products and services, Adrian Lovney, said the HCE approach had some advantages. Whereas the secure element solution requires the co-operation of third parties, HCE does not require any additional processes by third parties.

In theory, this means the system can be updated more easily. From a consumer point of view, the transaction process is the same.

AMP's director of digital Michael Weeding said the bank also offers a PayTag sticker for mobile payments with other types of smartphones.

AMP Bank launched PayTag last year. Weeding said feedback has been positive and there has been good take-up of AMP's mobile app.