Visa Mobile payWave

The same easy way to pay, now on your phone.

Visa Mobile payWave

Visa payWave is Visa’s contactless payment technology that enables consumers to make “wave and go” payments at the shop counter using their payment cards, without a PIN for purchases under $100 or with a PIN for purchases over $100. Consumers in Australia are now able to make the same contactless payments using a growing range of mobile phones or wearable technology – by waving their device in front of a contactless terminal.

How it works

Visa Mobile payWave is the digital version of paying with a Visa payWave card. There are different ways for consumers to activate their existing Visa credit, debit or prepaid accounts with a mobile phone, depending on the device they are using and the financial institution they bank with. Consumers should check with their mobile phone provider and financial institution about their handset’s capability and availability of mobile payments.

There are also wearable devices with wave and go payments capabilities being made available in Australia. These devices use the same secure technology as mobile or card-based contactless payments.

There are lots of ways of making mobile payments possible and Visa believes in an open, secure approach, allowing consumers to make mobile payments with whatever device, mobile network or payment account they choose.

Security

Every transaction using Visa payWave – whether on the card, mobile, or other connected devices – is protected by multiple layers of security, just like a normal chip card. These include:

Restricted read range

The mobile device must be held within 4 centimetres of a contactless terminal in order for the payment information to be transmitted to the terminal.

EMV chip technology

Visa payWave is based on EMV chip technology. Each contactless transaction includes a unique code that changes with each purchase. Visa Mobile payWave works the same way.

Low transaction limits

As Visa payWave is designed to offer consumers speed and convenience at the checkout, they do not need to sign or enter a PIN for transactions under $100.

Real-time fraud monitoring

Visa payWave transactions on mobile are processed through Visa’s global processing network, VisaNet, in exactly the same way as traditional Visa cards. Transactions are analysed in real-time and scored for their fraud potential.

Zero Liability Policy

In the unlikely event of fraud, Visa's Zero Liability Policy* means you won’t be held responsible for fraudulent charges or unauthorised purchases made using Visa.

Consumers in control

Your mobile does not need to leave your hand, which puts you in control of the transaction. You can also add an extra layer of security by activating your mobile passcode. If the mobile device is lost or stolen, you can have your payment account immediately deactivated by contacting your financial institution immediately. Only one payment can be processed at a time, so there’s no need to worry about your Visa account being accidentally debited more than once.

*Visa's Zero Liability policy covers Australian and New Zealand-issued cards and does not apply to ATM transactions, transactions not processed by Visa or certain commercial card transactions. Cardholders should notify their issuer promptly of any unauthorised Visa use. Please consult your issuer for additional details.

Benefits

Benefits for consumers

  • The smartphone is already a life companion. It’s our social media manager, personal assistant, DJ and GPS. And now you can use the same mobile or wearable device to make payments . 
  • Visa Mobile payWave transactions are just as secure as card-based transactions. Your phone remains in your hand, giving you control throughout the transaction. 
  • More options for mobile payments are being made available to Australian consumers from a range of financial institutions and mobile providers.

Benefits for merchants

  • Electronic payments offer greater efficiencies with reduced cash handling costs. 
  • Contactless payments improve the customer experience with faster transactions, shorter queues and no PIN required for transactions below $100. Transactions over $100 can be completed by wave and PIN. 
  • Merchants that already have contactless terminals in place are able to accept Visa Mobile payWave transactions from the growing range of payment-enabled smartphones and wearables, without needing to make any changes to their systems.

Using Visa Mobile payWave

Visa Mobile payWave can be used at thousands of stores across Australia, and anywhere Visa payWave is accepted. Simply look out for the contactless symbol at the payment terminal.

Visa Mobile payWave is delivering on Visa’s commitment to bring new payments innovation to Australia.

Download the Visa Mobile payWave factsheet