Astra Bank now offers the feature to use your debit card within Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, and Samsung Pay® in order to use your mobile device to pay in stores. These popular services allow you to house all of your payment information within one app. While each service works a bit differently, they all offer you new ways to use your Astra Bank debit card.
Digital Wallets Explained
A digital wallet is a broad term that covers an electronic service or software that stores your payment information to be used online, in-app, or even in-store. A convenient way to collect all your methods of payment into a singular app, digital wallets also boast enhanced security as well. Using a digital wallet can make paying convenient and you have access to all of your cards, even if you forgot your wallet at home.
Digital wallets can come in two types, device based (or “mobile wallet”), and internet based.
Internet based digital wallet services allow you to use your card at checkout in online shops or apps. Just look for your preferred digital wallet’s logo at checkout to use this feature.
Device based digital wallet services allow you to pay in-store by hovering your device, like your smartphone, over the card reader. This is possible through near-field communication (NFC) technology that allows communication between two electronic devices over short distance. Just look for the contactless pay symbol or your digital wallet logo on the card reader to see if this method of payment is accepted.
Are Digital Wallets Safe and Secure?
One of the biggest concerns with consumers is that their payment information is not safe when using a digital wallet. However, digital wallets come with security measures that can put these concerns at ease.
Whenever you add a card to your digital wallet, the information is encrypted and sent to the service provider’s servers.
If you are adding your card to be used in-store, your card information is never actually stored on your device. This is possible through a process known as tokenization, which replaces your sensitive card information with a randomly generated number called a token. This token is what is given to the merchant and is only valid between you and that merchant, no card number necessary.
If that token number is ever compromised, the would-be thieves cannot use it to do anything, since that number is specific to you, your credentials, and the merchant.
What If I Lose My Device?
Since your card information is not stored on the device, whoever finds or steals your phone will not have access to that information. Also, typically digital wallets will require that the phone be unlocked or extra authentication steps must be done before payment will occur.
Finally, Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, and Samsung Pay® all offer features that allow you to remotely suspend or remove the ability to make payments on your device should you lose it. To see more information on how to do this as well as general security information for each digital wallet, please follow these links:
Are Digital Wallets Right For You?
Digital wallets can eliminate the need to carry all of your cards around with you and utilizes your smartphone, something that you carry around with you normally. Not only does this offer new ways to pay, but it also gives you the option to forego carrying around every method of payment you have. This can be extremely convenient in some situations, like if you were to happen to lose your wallet and all the cards within it.
Having more than one way to pay can also help alleviate any hassles that arise from using your physical card like when magnetic stripes begin to not read correctly. This extra versatility of payment keeps your day uninterrupted by issues relating to a physical card, should those issues arise.
Finally, the convenience of being able to use your digital wallet online and for in-app purchases keeps you from having to enter your card information every time you buy from a new website, which creates another opportunity for hackers to grab that information should that website or app’s credentials ever be compromised.
How to Get Started
To get started using a digital wallet with your Astra Bank debit card, you must first download the app and/or create an account with your preferred digital wallet.
Once you have done that, follow the steps provided to add your Astra Bank debit card. Once completed, you will then be able to use your Astra Bank debit card in-store, online, and for in-app purchases.
Of course, if you need any assistance, feel free to contact a member of the Astra Bank team to help you get set up.
Apple Pay is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Pay is a trademark of Google LLC. Samsung Pay is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.