Google Expands Wallet Payment Platform

Google has expanded its Wallet platform to allow users to make payments with all major credit and debit card brands. The company said that the expansion would give the mobile payment platform support for Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards. Additionally, Google is integrated with 25 retail chains.

Launched in 2011, Google Wallet enables users to integrate their bank and credit cards with mobile and cloud-based payment platforms. Users can then use near field communication (NFC) enabled handsets to activate ‘tap to pay’ features and automatically deduct money from their accounts.

“To support all credit and debit cards, we changed our technical approach to storing payment cards,” said Google Wallet’s head of product management, Robin Dua. “The Google Wallet app now stores your payment cards on highly secure Google servers, instead of in the secure storage area on your phone.”

Google said that it also intends to extend the security protections for the Wallet platform and would be enabling remote disable features. Users will now be able to log into the online Wallet page and use the devices tab to remotely revoke the ability for a lost or stolen mobile device to make payments.

In February 2012, Google temporarily suspended parts of the Wallet service after researchers uncovered potential encryption issues related to the platform.