Chinese multinational conglomerate Huawei is moving to spur global adoption of its riposte to rival contactless payment services from Apple and Samsung with the first overseas roll-out of Huawei Pay in Russia. First launched in China in August 2016, the entry of Huawei Pay into the Russian market follows a year-long co-operation agreement between Huawei and Chinese card company UnionPay aimed at spurring overseas adoption.Available across a suite of Huawei smartphone models, the service emulates the likes of Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, enabling users to upload their debit cards and tap their phones against a contactless terminal to effect a payment. UnionPay credit and debit cards issued by Gazprombank and Russian Agricultural Bank will be the first to use Huawei Pay when the service goes liver in the first quarter.
China’s Huawei has rolled out its contactless payment service in Russia, in a move that marks Huawei Pay’s first overseas launch. The company said it will launch the new service, which is available for use on Android and iOS devices, at an unspecified date this year.