Rabat – CIH Bank, Morocco’s eighth-largest banking group by market capitalization, announced that it now supports Apple Pay, a mobile payment service.
“With CIH BANK, you can now pay with your Iphone and your Watch with ease and fluidity,” CIH tweeted.
The tweet, however, did not specify when the service will be available to customers.
Apple Pay made its initial debut in 2014 and has gradually extended its presence to numerous countries worldwide.
The CIH Bank’s website does not contain any reference to Apple Pay or Apple itself yet.
In addition, Morocco is not included in Apple’s officially recognized list of supported countries. Of note, however, is that this list is known to be updated irregularly, and therefore may not reflect the most current information.
Developed by Apple, the service enables users to conduct transactions in person, within iOS applications, and on the Internet.
It is compatible with Apple devices such as iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. By digitizing payment methods, Apple Pay can act as a substitute for traditional credit or debit cards when conducting chip and PIN transactions at contactless-enabled point-of-sale terminals.
Read also: Morocco’s CMI Expands Currency Options for International Card Payments
It is not limited to specific contactless payment terminals designed exclusively for Apple Pay, as it can function with any merchant that accepts contactless payments.
Regarding security, Apple Pay incorporates two-factor authentication options such as Touch ID, Face ID, PIN, or passcode.
Communication between devices and point-of-sale systems is achieved through near-field communication (NFC), and payment data is securely stored, and cryptographic functions are performed using an embedded secure element (eSE).
Biometric authentication is facilitated by Apple’s Touch ID and Face ID features.
