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Mobile Payment in
Greater China 2014
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 2 / 15
Table of Contents
Overview
One could believe China to be the best place for mobile payment development. The country
has the largest mobile phone subscriber base in the world, with over one billion users, it also
has a highly bancarized population with over 3 billion banking cards in circulation, and its has
been established that more than 440 of the approximately 600 cities in China, or 73%, have
set up systems to allow people to swipe smart cards on public transportation. In addition,
China is home to many major companies including handset manufacturers, telecom network
equipment developers, POS terminal manufacturers, etc. However, no global mobile
payment system has developed on a wide scale in China over the last few years.
Now, many leading players in the mobile payment ecosystem in China are launching
initiatives to deploy a global nationwide system for mobile payment. China Mobile, the
largest mobile network operator worldwide by the number of subscribers is partnering with
China UnionPay, Chinas National bankcard association and eight leading financial institutions
to launch a nationwide mobile payment project. Both other mobile network operators, China
Unicom and China Telecom, are also launching major projects.
The ability to rollout the project in every location in China, the acceptance network,
merchants education as well as consumer education will play a key role in the success of
these initiatives. Interoperability will be of paramount importance.
The MIIT China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI) had set targets for e-commerce
sales of CNY 18 trillion (EUR 2.2 trillion), including online retail sales of CNY 3 trillion (EUR
368 billion), by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), but it now appears that
the actual figures will exceed the targets.
At the same time, the highly competitive Hong Kong market is home to a series of initiatives
coming from partners with various backgrounds: the national ATM network and the mass
transit payment system are launching NFC projects at the same time as financial institutions
and mobile network operators.
The Taiwanese market, more federated under the umbrella of EasyCash, the existing
nationwide prepaid card, is on the path towards mobile payments, with the collaboration of
all telcos and most major banks.
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 5 / 15
Many handset vendors propose NFC-enabled handsets. These handsets come with a choice of
options for the secure element support:
UICC (SIM)-based secure element, to be connected through the international standard
SWP (Single Wire Protocol),
MicroSD based secure element, to be connected though an adaptation of the SWP,
supported by China UnionPay,
Embedded secure element.
A secure element (SE) is a tamper-resistant platform (typically a one-chip secure
microcontroller) capable of securely hosting applications and their confidential and
cryptographic data (e.g. key management) in accordance with the rules and security
requirements set forth by a set of well-identified trusted authorities.
Taiwan-based GO-Trust Technology has announced its NFC-enabled microSD secure element.
According to GO-Trust, banks see the MicroSD secure element as a way of controlling better
mobile banking. HTC, a Taiwan-based handset vendor, is the first to deliver the dual standard
NFC phone and several other major China-based manufacturers announce product road maps
that include dual SWP standard phones available within six months. This independent secure
element could possibly be an option for built-in NFC phones.
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 6 / 15
The government is playing its role as Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology's (MIIT) China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI) is responsible for
devising a national standard for mobile payments. The standard uses 13.56 MHz NFC payment
technology and is compatible with a number of solutions for smart card products, including
SIM card-based, SD card-based, whole phone, and dual interface SIMpass solutions.
In Beijing, China Mobile customers can visit any of six designated China Mobile shops to
switch their SIM cards out for new ones that will allow them to connect their phones to their
bank accounts. Soon, Beijings public transportation system will let them swipe those phones
to pay for bus fares around the city. More globally, China Mobile subscribers need to acquire
an NFC SIM card, available at the carrier's stores, and download the network's mobile wallet
app, which is available for Android devices. After linking a bank account to the wallet, the
customer is free to make mobile payments at participating merchants equipped with
UnionPay QuickPass contactless POS terminals.
Bank of China, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, China CITIC Bank, China Everbright Bank,
China Minsheng Banking Corp, GF Securities, Bank of Shanghai and Bank of Beijing are the
eight banks partnering in the project. More are expected to sign up to the service, which uses
China UnionPay's trusted service management (TSM) platform which is fully integrated with
that of China Mobile. Initially, the app works on five NFC-enabled Android phone models that
support the single-wire protocol SIM standard : the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S III, the
HTC One, Huawei T8950N and ZTE U807N, and more handset are added on a permanent basis.
This launch is a consequence of a partnership signed in June 2012 between China Mobile and
China UnionPay designed to lead the commercial deployment of NFC payments in one
hundred cities across China.
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 7 / 15
China Unicoms mobile wallet enables consumers to make purchases at food and beverage
outlets, including retailers and merchants who accept China Union Pays QuickPass
contactless cards. There are currently over 162,000 QuickPass POS terminals in Shanghai that
are compatible with the mobile wallet. The mobile wallet enables that China Unicom
subscribers with a CMB credit card can securely store their card details in the SIM card of
their NFC enabled mobile phone. China Unicom project uses Gemalto UpTeq NFC SIMs.
China Telecom will exchange the SIM cards of all users with NFC-compatible handsets for
NFC-enabled user identity module (UIM) cards free of charge. China Telecom has set an
ambitious goal for the project with plans to release 30 million UIM cards and introduce more
than 40 models of handsets that support the mobile wallet service next year. From January
2014, China Telecom gradually switches its 3G terminal offerings to NFC-enabled devices. All
of China Telecom's 4G mobile terminals will be equipped with NFC functionality.
connection and switch between banking systems and the inter-bank, cross-region and
cross-border usages of bankcards issued by associate banks could be realized.
China UnionPay is involved in a variety of mobile payment projects, with various partners.
The organizations objective is to become the pivotal
point of the industry, the same way they are in a dominant
position on card payments. To achieve this, China
UnionPay is building a secure interoperable mobile NFC
ecosystem. Gemalto recently announced it was collaborating with China UnionPay to build a
secure mobile NFC ecosystem. Gemalto China UnionPay collaboration covers key
deployment issues, including TSM interoperability, security and operational guidelines as
well as technology standards and specifications.
UnionPay is Chinas leading payment scheme and has the worlds largest network of payment
cards, with more than 3.5 billion cards issued to date, as well as being a key advocate in
Chinas mobile payment eco-system. According to ABI Research, Chinas mobile commerce
market is expected to become the worlds largest by 2014, with an estimated US$ 8 billion
(EUR 6 billion) worth of transactions conducted via NFC.
As such, PBOC announced it is planning to issue technical standards for mobile payments.
3. Hong Kong
In 2013, most of the payment and telecom industry payers in the highly competitive Hong
Kong market have announced mobile payment initiatives.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published recommendations for the development
of NFC mobile payment infrastructure in Hong Kong. The objective is to establish a safe and
effective NFC mobile payment infrastructure that will achieve interoperability among all NFC
mobile payment services along four development objectives:
Ability to download multiple payment services from different banks and payment service
providers onto a single NFC-enabled phone,
Payment service continuity despite switching from one mobile network operator to
another operator,
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 9 / 15
The Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) has issued a set of common standards and
recommended best practice guidelines for banks setting up mobile NFC payment services.
Under the proposed HKAB guidelines, consumers should be able to:
Download multiple payment services from different banks and payment service providers
onto a single NFC-enabled phone,
Enjoy uninterrupted payment service when switching from one mobile network operator
to another operator or changing one's NFC-enabled phone,
Conduct payment transactions with a high level of security in line with international
standards and relevant regulatory requirements.
Jetco has about 2,200 ATMs in Hong Kong, along with 400 ATMs in Macau and another 400 in
mainland China. Jetco is also a partner of China UnionPay, the leading bankcard association
in Mainland China.
Hang Seng MasterCard cardholders can visit any PCCW-HKT shop to exchange their existing
SIM card for an NFC SIM card at no charge. After downloading the Hang Seng mobile payment
app in the Google Play Store to their NFC-enabled mobile phone, they can then download
their Hang Seng Mobile Card and use their phone to settle payments of HKD 500 (EUR 49.45)
or less.
Then, Hang Seng Bank announced that SmarTone has become its
latest partner in rolling out the Hang Seng Mobile Payment Service
to smartphone users. Hang Seng Mobile Payment Service will be
available to SmarTone customers from Q1/2014. Participating customers can use designated
near - field communication (NFC) - enabled mobile phones to make payments through
MasterCard PayPass terminals at over 3,000 merchant outlets in Hong Kong.
The mobile NFC ticketing service allows commuters to pay for journeys on all of Hong Kong's
public transport systems, including the metro, rail, bus, ferry, coach and tram, as well as
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 11 / 15
paying for fares on minibuses and taxis that accept Octopus. Using their selected and tested
Sony NFC-enabled smartphones as an e-purse, commuters will be able to top up their
Octopus Mobile SIM via any of the Octopus readers in Hong Kong. In addition, users can
conveniently pay over-the-counter at retail shops, food and beverages outlets, as well as
purchase entrance tickets at selected entertainment venues. Drivers will also able to pay for
their parking using their mobile NFC phones.
Users will be able to benefit from these services simply by installing the FeliCa-based Applet
for Octopus payment services on the NFC SIM card supplied by PCCW-HKT, and inserting this
NFC SIM into their NFC-capable smartphone.
To get payment convenience of the BOC e-Wallet Mobile Payment Service, customers can
simply use designated NFC-enabled Android mobile phones with a micro SD card slot and
activate the BOC e-Wallet mobile application. The service is supported by all mobile network
operators. Customers can have a fast and convenient mobile payment service without having
to replace the SIM card and collect the card from the bank.
BOC CUP dual currency credit cardholders can enjoy cross-border service at over 1.3 million
China UnionPay QuickPass terminals in China. In addition, the BOC e-Wallet Mobile Payment
Service will be widely accepted by the merchant outlets of MasterCard PayPass, and Visa
payWave. BOC credit cardholders can conveniently use the mobile payment service at over
1.2 million local and overseas MasterCard PayPass merchant outlets.
3 Hong Kong said it's the only wallet in Hong Kong that supports Android
and iOS operating systems; using the wallet with an iPhone requires an
NFC sticker provided by Citibank. 3 expects that more than 20% of its
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 12 / 15
clients will use the service within three years. 3HK had 3.7 million subscribers from Hong
Kong and Macau as of June.
The wallet includes mobile payment capability, transaction history, a location-based special
offer service and a search function that directs customers to the best deals within their
vicinity and works with over 9,000 Visa payWave readers at some 3,400 local retailers. The
new wallet is tailored to Citibank Visa credit card users who are also 3 subscribers.
4. Taiwan ROC
Taiwan's five telecom operators (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, Asia
Pacific Telecom and Vibo Telecom) are building a standardized mobile payment environment,
in coordination with the Bankers Association of the Republic of China.
Initially launched as a payment means for mass transit, EasyCard has turned into a
nationwide payment system, with over 26 million EasyCard holders in Taiwan. In 2013,
prepaid Easy Cards were used to make an average of TWD 43 million (EUR 1.1 million) in
payments every day, up 30% from a year before. More than 600,000 Easy Card payments are
made daily. Apart from public transportation payments, the cards can be used at over 14,000
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 13 / 15
stores nationwide, including convenience stores, coffee shops, drug stores, bakeries,
cinemas and supermarkets.
The Far EasTone NFC All Around Trial Program integrates NFC technology into different
aspects of mobile life. Users will be able to tap their NFC phones to pay for purchases, take
public transportation and use loyalty programs. These transactions will be available at
25,000 PayPass point-of-sale terminals and 10,000 shops. The transactions will be done
through Morphos Trusted Service Management (TSM) system. TSM is a key component in this
new service model as it ensures the secure delivery of service credentials to the USIM,
manages the various applications and enhances customer services.
Morpho is responsible for the NFC-enabled Micro SD card, the user interface and the
integration with Bank SinoPacs overall services concept. This launch enriches the Taiwanese
NFC ecosystem by enabling Bank SinoPac to provide end-to-end consumer services solely with
Morphos NFC solution. The solution currently runs on Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy
S4. The card can be accessed via a user interface developed by Morpho with several unique
functions, such as checking the remaining value, top-up of the card via automated teller
machine and transaction history view.
technology. The service will include the functions of a credit card, access key card,
membership card and public transit fare card on smartphone handsets equipped with NFC
capabilities.
The companies stated that the public will be able to use their
PayPass-equipped handsets in over 25,000 locations
throughout Taiwan, including drugstores, department stores,
taxis, movie theaters, groceries markets and food courts.
Security of digital transactions will be ensured by technology provided by the Gemalto, and
Taiwan Mobile's single wire protocol (SWP) SIM cards, while payment systems are enabled by
MasterCard.
CHT subscribers will be able to use their mobile phone for contactless payments at over
20,000 MasterCard PayPass point of sale readers across Taiwan including supermarkets,
department stores and a fleet of taxis. The pilot also supports additional NFC services such as
multiple credit and prepaid cards, loyalty cards, coupons, and ticketing.
CHT is Taiwans largest mobile network operator with 10 million subscribers. The initiative,
using the SIM as the secure element to safeguard mobile NFC transactions, was approved by
the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan (FISC), and is supported by Taiwanese banks
Cathay United, Chinatrust Commercial, E.Sun, Taishin, as well as handset makers HTC,
Samsung and Sony.
Mobile Payment in Greater China 2014 15 / 15
Glossary
ATM Automated Teller Machine
BEA Bank of East Asia
BOC Bank of China
BOCHK Bank of China (Hong Kong)
CESI China Electronics Standardization Institute
CFCA China Financial Certification Authority
CHT Chunghwa Telecom
CIITA China Information Industry Trade Association
CNY Chinese Yuan
CUP China UnionPay
HKD Hong Kong Dollar
HKAB Hong Kong Association of Banks
HKMA Hong Kong Monetary Authority
HKT Hong Kong Telecom
JETCO Joint Electronic Teller Services
MIIT Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
MNO Mobile Network Operator
NFC Near-Field Communication
OCL Octopus Cards Limited
PBOC Peoples Bank of China
POS Point of Sales Terminal
RF-SIM Radio Frequency SIM
SE Secure Element
SIM Subscriber Identification Module
SWP Single Wire Protocol
TD-LTE Time Division Long Term Evolution
TSM Trusted Service Manager
TWD Taiwan Dollar
UICC Universal Integrated Circuit Card
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