MasterCard enters online, mobile payments with Masterpass

MasterCard has joined the swelling ranks of online and mobile payments providers with the launch of its expanded Masterpass offering.

Masterpass is a digital wallet for Google Android-based devices, utilising the near-field communications (NFC) chip on the smartphones and tablets to connect to merchant terminals.

Authentication of user purchases can be performed with PIN codes, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition.

Over a dozen commerce application interfaces are available for Masterpass to entice developers to integrate the digital wallet in their applications.

The service will roll out in the United States with 17 American financial institutions such as Ally Bank, Bank of America, Citi, People's United Bank and SunTrust.

By the end of 2016, Masterpass will become available for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with the rest of the world planned to get the service in 2017, MasterCard said.

Cards from MasterCard, American Express, Diner's Club, Discover and Visa can be added to the Masterpass wallet.

At launch, MasterCard said US customers whose banks have joined Masterpass can use the service at over 5 million locations, in 77 countries, that accept contactless payments.

In the US, merchants will be charged Mastercard's standard 0.20 per cent card interchange fees for Masterpass transactions.