Apple Pay expands to Canada with support from major banks this June

Apple's SVP for Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey demos the features of Apple Pay which is coming to Canada this JuneBy Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple Pay is available to all active Interac debit cards issued by CIBC and RBC. Your debit card does not have to be an Interac Flash enabled card. In stores, Apple Pay works with iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch. You will first need to add your debit card to the Apple Wallet to make mobile transactions.

Interac can be used with Apple Pay to buy goods and services across Canada in the hundreds of thousands of Canadian stores wherever contactless payments 

Apple Pay, which securely uses iPhone and Apple Watch to enable contact less payments, has been in Canada for some time now but limited to customers of American Express credit cards. That is all changing shortly as major banks and other credit card companies have been announced as partners and are looking to offer the functionality to their iPhone and Apple Watch-toting users. 

Apple has confirmed that Apple Pay will be coming to CIBC (credit and debit), ATB (credit, debit coming later), Canadian Tire Financial Services (credit), RBC (credit and debit) and of course American Express has enjoyed the first-mover advantage since late last year. 

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BlackBerry signs new agreement with EnStream to strengthen mobile payments system

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BlackBerry has entered a new three-year deal with EnStream LP to provide a secure platform for transaction services between consumers and banks. EnStream will make use of BlackBerry’s infrastructure to allow financial institutions such as TD Bank Group, CIBC, Desjardins, and Royal Bank of Canada as well as mobile operators to provision sensitive payment card credentials securely into any smartphone with Near Field Communication technology. EnStream is a mobile payments joint venture owned by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS.

“EnStream, with BlackBerry, is already serving a number of banks and mobile operators, and is becoming a hub for payment credential delivery to smartphones in Canada,” said Almis Ledas, Chief Operating Officer, Enstream LP. “We expect most major Canadian banks and mobile operators to connect through this platform to meet consumer demand for efficient and safe digital transactions.”

CIBC rolls out "mobile cheque deposit" update for iOS and Android

As big and proud a nation that we are, when it comes to adopting new technologies, Canada has always been a bit delayed to the game. ING first adopted this feature not too long ago, so today's announcement from CIBC is a big, positive step in the right direction; hopefully the rest of the Canadian banks follow suit. Basically, what this app update does is grants users' the ability to deposit cheques (personal or business) into their account using the camera on their iPhone, iPad, or Android smartphone or tablet.

Of course, this convenience does not run users' any additional bank fees.

Learn more about the service via CIBC

CIBC Mobile payment app for BlackBerry Z10 now live

The much-talked about joint venture "SureTap" between CIBC and Rogers - which enables NFC payments among a variety of new smartphones - has finally landed on the BlackBerry Z10. As you can see from the diagram above; CIBC users' simply connect their debit cards to the app, and tap their devices at selected participting merchants to place - and complete - mobile payments.

The service was previously only available on the BlackBerry 9900 and select Android devices in the Rogers lineup.