June 2017

APAC / June 2017 5 NEWS , Samsung Pay is a secure and easy-to- use mobile payments service available on compatible Samsung devices including the Gear S3 smartwatch and the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones (1). People’s Choice Credit Union, Credit Union Australia (CUA), and Teachers Mutual Bank are among some of Cuscal’s clients now offering Samsung Pay and the partnership will enable mobile payments for a combined total of 1.7 million cardholders. Richard Fink, Vice President of Samsung Australia’s mobile di- vision said: “Through Samsung Pay’s partnership with Cuscal we are providing millions of Austral- ians a convenient and safe pay- ment option. Every partner we bring on board, whether it be a financial institution or retail brand through our Samsung Pay loyal- ty functionality, brings us a step closer to helping customers re- place their wallets with their Sam- sung smartphone or smartwatch.” The announcement comes as Samsung Pay marks its first an- niversary in Australia. During its year of operation in this country, Samsung has now partnered with over 40 payment card brands and has over 100 different types of loyalty cards loaded onto Sam- sung Pay – making everyday payments and loyalty point col- lections simple and secure for Australians. Robert Bell, general manager of product & service at Cuscal said: “We’re really pleased that our clients’ customers can now use Samsung Pay. Our aim is to allow all our clients to offer their customers the newest and best payment options available, to help them compete with much Nominated as the official World Design Capital in 2016 for its recognition in ur- ban planning, Taipei is one of the 25 most populous cities in Asia and as such, it fac- es the common challenges of tackling congestion and a need for people to move around the city more easily. With global car sharing members forecasted to reach 23.4 million by 2024, with the Asia-Pacific region being 49% of that number per independent figures from Navigant, Taipei is the ideal city for Zipcar to launch in the region. Zipcar’s expansion to Taiwan brings car sharing to even more consumers who want access to a car in the city without the cost and hassle of ownership. The company has launched its popu- lar round-trip car sharing service in Taipei to provide consumers with access to a Zipcar in the city which can be picked up from a designated parking bay and then returned to the same location. Members will have access to a wide range of vehicles including versatile cars like the Volkswagen Golf, Audi A1, Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta for shopping or see- ing family and friends. Small vans such as the Volkswagen Caddy will also be available for jour- neys including moving and the Volkswagen Sharan for getting larger groups around town, so that members can have access to any vehicle for any journey they need to make. Massimo Marsili, who oversees Zipcar International operations commented, “Today’s launch in Taipei marks a great milestone for Zipcar. Not only are we extending our operations to another world- class city tackling congestion, but it will be our first launch into the Asia-Pacific region and we look forward to welcoming members in Taiwan to our network.” Today’s launch is a pivotal mile- stone in Zipcar’s international ex- pansion, which already includes a well-established presence in over 500 cities and towns across Europe and North America. As a pioneer of the car sharing con- cept for almost 20 years, Zipcar’s entry into Asia widens its global network, providing more than one million members access to even more vehicles. Further information on how to be- come a Zipcar member in Taipei is available now at www.zipcar. com.tw & www.zipcar.com Zipcar Expands to Asia With Launch of Car Sharing Service in Taipei, Taiwan Samsung Electronics Australia on 15 June announced a partnership with Cuscal, Australia’s leading independent provider of payment solutions, that will enable 38 financial institutions to offer Samsung Pay. Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, today announced on June 9th the launch of its car sharing service in Taipei, Taiwan. This marks the first major city launch in Asia for the brand. larger players. With the addition of Samsung Pay we continue to fulfil this promise to them.” Cuscal’s 38 financial institutions now available on Samsung Pay are: Australian Unity, Bank Aus- tralia, Bank of Sydney, Beyond Bank Australia, Big Sky Building Society, Catalyst Money, Cen- tral Coast Credit Union, Central Murray Credit Union, Community First Credit Union, Credit Union SA, CUA, Customs Bank, De- fence Bank, Firefighters Mutual Bank, First Option Credit Union, Holiday Coast Credit Union, Hori- zon Credit Union, Illawarra Credit Union, Intech Bank, MyState, Nexus Mutual, Northern Beaches Credit Union, P&N Bank, Peo- ple’s Choice Credit Union, Police Bank, QT Mutual Bank, Queens- landers Credit Union, Reliance Bank, SCU, Select ENCOMPASS Credit Union, South West Slopes Credit Union, Teachers Mutual Bank, The Mac, The Rock, Uni- Bank, Unity Bank, WAW Credit Union Co-Operative, Woolworths Employees’ Credit Union Limited Samsung Pay has more than 870 bank partnerships worldwide and there have been more than 240 million transactions processed over the past year and a half. For more information about Sam- sung Pay visit www.samsung. com/pay & www.cuscalpayments. com.au .