First National Bank on Monday said that non-FNB customers can now make use of its smartphone banking application to perform transactions through the inclusion of an e-wallet.
Users of the bank’s “eWallet” can perform transactions such as buying prepaid airtime, data and prepaid electricity. They can also send money using the app. eWallet users can make payments to any SA bank account or make selected bill payments.
“FNB customers can use the eWallet to make quick prepaid purchases, withdrawals and payments, including geo payments, without the need to login,” says Farren Roper, head of the FNB Connect Internet service provider and business operations in a statement.
“The eWallet service on the app and also for existing eWallet users is akin to carrying a real wallet around in their pocket. The eWallet sits outside of login,” he says.
FNB eWallet users will need to download the FNB Banking App to access the enhanced eWallet suite of services. In addition, existing FNB customers will have their eWallet balances automatically updated on the app.
The bank says the move is “strategic” and is viewed as a “means of attracting non-FNB customers through unique features available on the FNB app, which already has more than 400 000 active users”.
“Non-FNB customers can now also use eWallet on the app to make geo payments, whereas previously, they could only receive geo payments. The fact that non-FNB customer can now also make geo payments means that we are moving even closer to an open ecosystem, which is quite a significant development in the contactless payments space,” Roper says. — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media
