While the UAE has been the only country in the Middle East to see the rollout of Google Pay for contactless payment, now you can add Qatar to the list. This brings the tally to two countries in the region supporting Google’s contactless payment system.
Some of the banks across the country that have rolled out support include:
- Qatar National Bank (QNB)
- Commercial Bank
- Dukhan Bank
- Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB)
- Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB)
While Google’s support page states that payment via smartwatch only in the UAE, QNB and QIB clearly shows steps to also use it via a smartwatch. This will probably require a bit more exploraiton, especially if this is some exclusive deal inked between these banks and Google. All the banks support adding either credit, debit or prepaid cards from VISA/Mastercard to the user’s Google Wallet.
Easy and Simple Setup
Regardless of smartphone brand, make sure it’s running the latest suported version of Android. Android users will need to download the Google Wallet app to begin the setup process, and will need to support Near Field Communications (NFC):
- Open the Google Wallet app or download it on Google Play
- Tap ‘Add to Wallet’ and follow the instructions
- Take a picture of your card or enter the card details.
- Verify your card if needed.
Once your card has been added, there’s no need to enter payment information again. When buying online, you can easily select Google Pay at checkout (where supported), confirm purchase and pay. All payment will require on-device authentication, whether it’s facial or biometric when paying at a store.
Apple users in Qatar have enjoyed the advantage with Apple Pay for at least a year since its launch. Now it’s time for Android users to avail the same benefits with the launch of Google Pay.
With the rising popularity of contactless payment, it’s only going to be a matter of time before the wider Middle East region sees an uptick in adoption. WIth many smartphone users, banks are defintiely looking into convenience and popularity of such digital payment options.
