NFC TIMES Exclusive Insight – There are markets where the major banks welcome Apple Pay and other “Pays” wallets, such as Taiwan, the most recent country to launch Apple Pay. And then there are countries where banks hold back.
France would fall into the latter category, where only one of the major five to six banks, Groupe BPCE, broke ranks to participate in Apple Pay, which launched in France last July. Nearly nine months later, no other major bank has joined, though some others are expected in coming months. Neither Android Pay nor Samsung Pay have launched in France at all.
The other major French banks have been resisting Apple Pay and apparently the other Pays wallets. Among other things, the banks believe the multi-issuer wallets would usurp their brands.