New mobile payment service launched
(Manama) – Batelco launched officially the mobile payment service “Easy Pay”, during a ceremony which was held at the Seef Mall.
The move follows a tripartite memorandum of understanding which was signed between the telecommunications company Ithmaar Bank and the Arab Financial Services (AFS).
The new service uses secure Near Field Communication (NFC) tags to eliminate the need for cash or cards by allowing customers to shop simply by tapping their mobile phones at the checkout counters of participating merchants.
The launch marks a key milestone for the Bahrain retail market, potentially revolutionising customer shopping experiences with secure, real-time payments now possible directly from their mobile phone.
To use the new service, customers need to subscribe for an Ithmaar Bank prepaid eCard at their nearest Batelco shop or Ithmaar Bank branches and receive their NFC tags, which can then be used at participating merchants.
Batelco Bahrain CEO Muna Al-Hashemi stressed on the new service translating Batelco’s drive to introduce the best-in-class digital solutions using cutting-edge technology.
“Batelco has continuously embedded innovation as a central to its strategy with the aim of delivering first class customer experience. This new service is a step forward towards this aim, opening exciting opportunities in the future as technology, digital banking and customers’ needs continue to evolve,” she added.
“Mobile customers can now enjoy a hassle-free transaction at the partnered retail outlets through this convenient and reliable service.” She added.
Ithmaar Bank general manager Abdulhakim Al-Mutawa stressed the bank’s keenness on innovation as well as its commitment to offering customers a premium Islamic banking experience.
“Ithmaar Bank played a pioneering role in the establishment and subsequent development of Islamic banking in the region. We developed this new service with AFS, the technology provider, in line with our long-standing commitment to continuously improving our products and services”, he added.
Arab Financial Services (AFS) Chairman Sael Al Waary highlighted the crucial role of his company as the pioneering supplier of innovative payment services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for more than three decades, expressing pride at launching the new service (NFC), in partnership with Batelco and Ithmaar.
