Gemalto Enables Digitization of Hong Kong’s Octopus Card into Samsung Pay
Gemalto has announced that its Trusted Service Hub (TSH) is enabling the secure digitization of Octopus contactless smart cards into Samsung Pay. Named Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay, this new mobile payment service allows consumers to securely pay and travel by simply tapping their designated Samsung smartphones against an Octopus acceptance reader for payment or even door access.
Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay leverages Gemalto's TSH to securely digitize Octopus cards into Samsung Pay, including the transfer of the balance and any associated loyalty programs. Consumers can also easily register their credit card details onto Samsung Pay, providing one more option to top up their digital Octopus cards when necessary.
The Octopus card is a contactless stored value smart card commonly used to pay for public transport and purchases at more than 80,000 touch-points in Hong Kong, including retail outlets, online shopping, recreational facilities, vending machines, and self-service kiosks. There are currently more than 34.5 million active Octopus cards and O! ePay accounts, which make more than 14.5 million transaction counts amounting to over HK$200 million daily.
"We are pleased to work with Gemalto again, given the trusted and success of our previous partnerships, and their sound understanding of the nature of our business," said Sunny Cheung, chief executive officer of Octopus Holdings Limited. "This partnership has enabled us to be among the first contactless smart card payment system operator in the world to bring great convenience to consumers by allowing them to pay via their smartphones. We believe this service will resonate well with consumers seeking a payment method that is hassle-free and safe to use, providing them with more payment methods to choose from."
"Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay delivers a convenient yet secure payment option for consumers in Hong Kong, and help the city realize its vision of transforming into a cashless society." said Michael Au, senior vice president banking and payment in Asia for Gemalto, "Given its robustness, the TSH is already in use by various organizations such as banks and retailers wanting to offer secure mobile payment solutions to their customers. We hope that the success of Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay will spur other global operators to roll out mobile payment offerings that are easy to use and do not compromise on security."
Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay is currently compatible with Samsung Galaxy Note8, S8+, S8, S9, S9+, A8+ and C Pro series including C5 Pro, C7 Pro and C9 Pro models.
