First National Bank has finally launched supported for Apple Pay in South Africa, the financial services institution said on Tuesday.

The launch comes four months after the Apple payment platform was launched in South Africa by other banks, including Nedbank, Absa and Discovery Bank.

More than a million customers use the iOS version of the FNB app, where they can add their card to Apple Pay or simply open the iPhone wallet app to add FNB cards, the bank said.

FNB Card CEO Chris Labuschagne said in a statement: “Apple Pay will further accelerate the adoption of contactless payments for customers and it is available to all FNB customers with compatible Apple devices.”

Bank customers can add their virtual card via the FNB app and make a purchase using Apple Pay. To set up Apple Pay on iPhone using the FNB app, customers select “cards”, choose to create a new virtual card specifically for Apple Pay, or alternatively select an existing virtual card, and then select “add to Apple Wallet”.

iPhone, iPad and Mac

Customers can use Apple Pay on iPhone, iPad and Mac, including for purchases on the Web, without having to create accounts or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information, FNB said. Apple Pay can also be used to make payments in apps and on Apple Watch.

Customers will still receive the rewards and beneﬁts, including eBucks and purchase protection on qualifying transactions, the bank said.

“Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When customers use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique device account number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the secure element, an industry-standard, certified chip designed to store the payment information safely on the device,” FNB explained.