Android Pay UK: Google phone-based payment system arrives in first country outside the US

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Google has finally launched Android Pay in the UK, allowing people to buy things by just tapping their phones.

The payment system allows people to turn their eligible phones into payment cards. It works similarly to Apple Pay, which also lets people swap their phone for their credit card and touch it on card readers to pay.

The rollout marks the first time that Google has made Android Pay available outside its home market of the US.

Google made the announcement just hours ahead of its I/O event, where it is set to to show off the best of its new technology.

To use Android Pay, users need to download the app with the same name and enter an eligible credit or debit card from one of the supported banks.

Google said that Android Pay will be able to work everywhere that accepts contactless payments, as Apple Pay does. The companies don’t need to add any special hardware.

The system lets people make payments of up to £30 without unlocking their phone – making it possible to use even when the phone is unlocked or on another app – unlike Apple Pay which requires a fingerprint each time. For purchases of a higher value than that they must enter a security method, like a pin code or fingerprint.

The system can be used on all NFC-enabled phones that have KitKat 4.4 or later.

It can also be used in apps, including those made by JD Sports and Deliveroo.

Google said that it will soon be expanding Android Pay further, bringing it to Singapore and Australia and other countries after that.