Visa Study Finds Untapped Opportunity for Smartphone Payment Terminals in Asia Pacific

10/21/2020

Over half (55%) of consumers in Asia Pacific would use Tap to Phone payments at the checkout counter
Tap to phone solutions enable small businesses to accept Visa payments on their smartphones, eliminating the need for expensive point-of-sale infrastructure

 

As consumers and businesses across Asia Pacific increasingly turn to digital payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, Visa is calling on the payments industry to accelerate the availability of Tap to Phone solutions in Cambodia to bring more micro and small businesses into the digital economy. Tap to Phone enables sellers to accept Visa contactless payments directly on their own Android NFC-enabled smartphones, without the need for a separate payment acceptance terminal.

New research from Visa found that the majority (55%) of Asia Pacific consumers would likely use Tap to Phone payments, despite solutions not yet being widely available in the region. This research, coupled with the existing popularity of contactless payments in Cambodia at more than 42% of all card transactions¹, indicate Tap to Phone payments could be a trend set to manifest in Cambodia too. 

Ms. Chum Monika, Visa Country Manager for Cambodia, said: “The country has an extremely high mobile phone penetration rate with 96% of the population owning a mobile phone and almost half having access to the internet. In addition to its growing acceptance of digital payment cards, Cambodia looks to be in a prime position to adapt to mobile forms of contactless. With Tap to Phone mirroring the security and convenience that contactless users in Cambodia have already become accustomed to, we believe mobile contactless payments have the ability to increase national confidence in digital payments and increase the adoption on the whole.”

Ease, convenience, and not needing to use cash appeal to consumers

In addition to simplifying point-of-sale infrastructure for businesses, tap to phone payments bring benefits to consumers. Of Asia Pacific consumers surveyed, ease of use was rated as the top reason that would encourage them to try tap to phone (52%), followed by saving time (51%) and eliminating the need to carry cash (50%).

Forty-three per cent of consumers rated security as a factor that would encourage their adoption of tap to phone payments. However, Visa believes there is a need for the industry to work together to educate consumers about security features. Losing personal or financial information were named as the top concerns around using tap to phone. Tap to Phone solutions bring multiple layers of security on both the buyer and seller side, to ensure that Visa’s high standards for secure payments are met. Each solution undergoes an intensive certification process including a security assessment by an accredited expert security lab. These solutions are also supported by an industry standard that has been developed and published by the PCI Security Standards Council.

 

Convenience stores, restaurants and food courts popular settings for Tap to Phone

Visa’s research also looked at where consumers would be most likely to pay via tap to phone. Convenience stores were cited by 59% of survey participants in the Asia Pacific, reflecting the desire for quick, easy transactions. Over half (56%) said they would want to be able to pay at a restaurant while seated at the table. Food courts, street stalls and kiosks were the third most popular venue at 52%. A similar survey conducted in Cambodia, revealed that 79% of consumers would be interested in using mobile contactless payments at supermarkets and hypermarkets².

“For micro and small businesses, Tap to Phone is a cost-effective way to accept Visa and enjoy the benefits of digital commerce,” added Ms. Chum. “This is particularly relevant in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has driven consumers towards digital payment purchases and services that enable them to avoid human contact. Customers making every-day, essential purchases are looking to pay quickly, safely and conveniently, and for businesses, speed and convenience when serving their customers is a priority. In light of the consumer demand and opportunity for businesses, Tap to Phone payments can offer merchants even more reason to begin accepting digital payments and to help grow Cambodia’s digital economy.”
Visa is working with and has certified nine technology providers and is partnering with many acquirers and fintechs to bring solutions to market. Visa and its partners have launched Tap to Phone solutions in Malaysia and India, with a number of Asia Pacific markets looking likely to follow in the coming months.

Methodology: Visa Asia Pacific Tap to Phone Study
The Visa Asia Pacific Tap to Phone study was conducted by YouGov research between 16 to 20 July 2020, among 6,832 adults ages 18+ in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan.

 

 

¹ VisaNet data, July 2020.

² The Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes Study 2018.

 

About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere.  As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.