The app-based marketplace AppGallery has announced the launch of near-field communication (NFC) payments in Europe, which follows the forming of a beneficial partnership with the European mobile wallet platform Stocard.
Following the success of its partnership with AppGallery, Stocard worked with Huawei to integrate Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) Core capabilities to its app, enabling NFC payments across Huawei smartphones. Huawei mobile users in Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and UK can now make seamless smartphone payments without needing to carry physical cards.
“We are beyond excited to partner with Huawei to implement HMS Core capabilities, and deliver a more convenient and powerful shopping experience to the users,” comments David Handlos, Founder & CEO at Stocard. “The integration marks a major milestone in our commitment to deliver the future of banking to our users. We are thankful for Huawei’s support throughout the entire partnership and in helping us realise this vision.”
As well as reducing wallet clutter, the introduction of NFC payments offers Huawei smartphone users access to membership cards and vouchers, streamlining the process of collecting loyalty points. Additional discounts, coupons, and flyers will be available through the app, with a chance to claim money-off everything from airline tickets to gift cards from participating retailers. These include Tchibo, MediaMarkt, Douglas, as well as IKEA among many others.
Having a considerable userbase of 60 million, Stocard chose to further enhance its services through HMS Core integration. Stocard customers in Europe can now use the app available in AppGallery to top up their account or prepaid card in advance to make transactions at any Mastercard acceptance point.
With AppGallery and its HMS Core, Huawei is committed to offering its partners the most innovative technologies to support them in expanding their own offering. Huawei partners can trust that on top of access to AppGallery’s globally reaching audience, they can leverage state-of-the-art technology to expand their own app capabilities.
Stocard will also be offering AppGallery users in Germany a chance to claim exclusive offers as a result of the HMS Core integration. The first 50,000 Huawei users in Germany to download the app from AppGallery and apply for the Stocard Mastercard will be able to receive it for free and immediately, bypassing the waiting list.
“At Huawei, we are passionate about supporting our partners so that they can offer their customers a more competitive service – whether that be through improving app capabilities or supporting with business development,” said Peter Gauden, Head of West Europe Ecosystem Marketing at Huawei Consumer Business Group. “Our top priority is to continue to offer our partners the technology and services that they need to provide the best possible experience for their customers.”
