Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

The Google Pay contactless payment system for smartphones with the Android operating system and NFC support does not work in Russia. We tell you how to replace this technology.

June 24, 2022

7 minutes to read

In 2022, Google Pay and Apple Pay “left” Russia. Many old contactless payment systems do not work either. If you were looking for reliable ways to pay for purchases at the checkout through your phone, then this collection is for you. The best applications in the Russian Federation to pay by card through a phone with and without NFC.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Paying for purchases with a smartphone, not a card, is convenient and fast. But due to sanctions and their own risks, international payment systems decided to suspend their work in Russia – and Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay also left with them. However, in Russia there are two alternatives for these payment services. We will tell you what these services are, how they work, what are their pros, cons and possible risks.

  • Departure of the Giants
  • How smartphone payment works
  • What is now available to Russians
  • Pros, cons, possible pitfalls

Mir Pay is a contactless payment system that became popular in Russia after the departure of Google Pay, Apple Pay and other services. However, the platform is not without flaws, which is why users are wondering: why is World Pay not working today? Someone is faced with an endless download and a missing card, someone does not pass the payment. We will talk about all these problems in the article.

We tell you how to pay for goods and services using Samsung phones. All about the Samsung Pay system: how to link a bank card and use it for payment

January 13, 2022

9 minutes to read

Contactless payment systems are very popular today. They allow you to pay for goods and services with a card linked to a smartphone or smart watch. At the same time, it is enough to have a mobile device with you, and you can leave your bank card at home. One such system is Samsung Pay.

It has an important feature that distinguishes this service from most similar systems: not only payments using NFC technology are supported, but also payments in old-style terminals that accept only magnetic stripe cards.

The Russian application Mir Pay stopped working for many users after the next update. Payment does not go through, connected cards disappear from the list, and technical support does not respond to user complaints.

The Mir Pay Android application for the Russian payment system has ceased to function correctly. The version with the index 1.13.2.214, dated August 29, 2022, crashes. For eight days, the corrected version has not appeared in the Google Play catalog, writes cnews.

It is not known what changes the developers of Mir Pay made to the code of their application, but they caused large-scale problems. Users began to complain, among other things, about the loss of bank cards connected to the application, about the difficulty of paying for travel in transport.

After updating to the specified version, some users no longer see the maps in the application.

There are also those who are lucky – their cards are still available in Mir Pay. However, in most cases it is not possible to use them – payment is far from the first time. Each failed attempt to pay for a product or service through Mir Pay is accompanied by the message “Service temporarily unavailable” appears on the screen of the mobile device.

Mir Pay is a domestic contactless payment service that allows you to use a smartphone with NFC instead of a wallet or bank card. It needs to be linked to a plastic card connected to the Russian Mir system, which in the era of sanctions replaced the American Visa and MasterCard that left Russia.

Mir Pay is backed by the Russian company National System of Payment Cards (NSPK). She is also the creator of the Mir payment system.

The rating of the domestic application Mir Pay fell sharply after an unsuccessful update and massive user complaints.

After the international payment systems Visa and MasterCard decided to leave the Russian market, Mir Pay remained the only high-quality alternative for paying by card from a smartphone. Until recently, customers were generally satisfied with the work of the domestic counterpart, but on August 29 another update for the application was released, which brought down its work.

Contactless payments stopped working, and the notification “Service is temporarily unavailable” began to appear on the screen of smartphones. Moreover, many Russians leave negative reviews due to the fact that all previously added bank cards have been removed from the application.

The flow of negative feedback has not stopped for a week, that is, since the release of the update. The developers from NSPK, which created the Mir Pay application in 2019, are responsible for the error. So far, the company has not commented on the failure.

Note that Mir Pay initially acted as an analogue of other popular applications for contactless payment for goods and services even before the imposition of sanctions. Already in the spring of 2022, Google Pay and Apple Pay stopped working in Russia, making Mir Pay the only available option. The domestic analogue supports any cards of the MIR payment system, and since 2019 it has been downloaded more than 10 million times on Google Play.

The payment service from Sberbank is integrated into the Sberbank Online app, which disappears from app stores.

Sanctions imposed by the US authorities against Russian banks, among other things, hit users of mobile applications hard. Official applications of sanctioned banks disappear not only from the App Store and Google Play, but even from AppGallery on the Huawei platform (and the company itself is under US sanctions). Installed applications will work, but with limitations.

So, experts warn that Apple and Google, if they wish, can block push notifications for already installed applications (which are used instead of expensive SMS notifications), and new customers will have to install applications only through the APK file (relevant only on Android).

But for Sberbank customers, this means another problem – they will not be able to pay for purchases in ordinary stores with Mir cards through the SberPay system.

SberPay is a payment service from Sberbank integrated into the Sberbank Online system. The client can pay for purchases with a linked Sberbank card in online stores (this is preserved) and in regular stores through the NFC module. In fact, this service replaced Google Pay on Android smartphones – the client could select the desired card directly in the application, and at the time of payment see the balance of all his accounts (and select the desired card right before paying).

From April 13, Sberbank customers will not have this opportunity. In general, payment via SberPay was an alternative option in the context of disabling access to Google Pay for Russian customers (on Apple smartphones, no third-party application has access to the payment module). Now this opportunity will not be – according to Sberbank, this is temporary and is due to the decision of the technical partner.

In the meantime, two payment services are available to customers of Russian banks with Mir cards – MirPay (works with almost all banks that issue Mir cards) and Samsung Pay (works only with some banks and only on Samsung smartphones) . In addition, Sberbank customers can continue to use plastic cards – although the bank has recently been actively promoting a digital SberCard, which can be issued directly in the application.

The Russian application Mir Pay stopped working for many users after updating to version 1.13.2.214. Payment does not go through, connected cards disappear from the list, and technical support does not respond to user complaints. A dangerous update was released on August 29, 2022. More than a week later, a patch that fixes the problem has not appeared.

Mir Pay not working

The Mir Pay Android application for the Russian payment system of the same name stopped functioning correctly after the next update was released. The version with the index 1.13.2.214, dated August 29, 2022, crashed. In eight days, the corrected version did not appear in the Google Play catalog. The Durov Code portal was the first to draw attention to the problem.

It is not known exactly what changes the developers of Mir Pay made to the code of their application, but they caused large-scale problems. Users began to complain, among other things, about the loss of bank cards connected to the application. After updating to the specified version, they simply ceased to be displayed in the application.

Mir Pay users are furious. Android App Rating Crashed

Users vent their anger in the reviews under the app in the Google Play store. They complain not only about the poor performance of the application, but also about the silence from technical support and the sudden disappearance of their previously written reviews.

At the time of publication of the material, the Mir Pay application, uploaded to Google Play in the spring of 2019, was downloaded more than 10 million times. At the same time, his rating was 2.8 points out of five possible.

Who is to blame

The application adjacent to Mir Pay also does not have high user ratings

Mir Pay is, in turn, an analogue of foreign payment systems, especially Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. The first appeared in the spring of 2017, and the other two in the fall of 2016. After the start of the special operation, Samsung immediately stopped deliveries of its devices to Russia, including smartphones with Samsung Pay support. Apple did the same, simultaneously starting to prevent Russians from using Apple Pay.

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Mir Pay is backed by the Russian company National Payment Card System (NSPK). She is also the creator of the Mir payment system. As CNews reported, NSPK launched Mir Pay in the spring of 2019

What happened to version 1.13.2.214 is the first such a large-scale failure in the three and a half years of the service’s existence. The editors have contacted NSPK with questions about the approximate timing of the release of a more stable update and the reasons that caused the system to work incorrectly, and are awaiting a response.

How to replace Mir Pay

Anti-Russian sanctions and, in particular, the withdrawal of Apple and Samsung from their services, forced Russian companies to urgently start developing their own payment systems. One of the first to work on its service was the telecom operator MTS.

The MTS project cannot boast of an original name – it is known as MTS Pay. This is a full-fledged payment system that allows you to link a bank card to your smartphone and pay by putting your mobile phone to the terminal. The developers also announced an alternative payment method – using a QR code. The partner is MTS Bank.

Mir Pay is so far the only widespread substitute for American payment systems

MTS started developing its payment system in mid-July 2022. After almost two months, the project has not yet been released. Launch tentatively scheduled for Q4 2022

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An important feature of MTS Pay is the absence of restrictions that anyone who hears about its existence for the first time can think about. To use the system, you do not need to connect to the MTS network or open an account with MTS Bank.

What is SBPey and how to use it

An alternative way to quickly pay for purchases from a smartphone.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

After disabling Google Pay and Apple Pay in Russia, an active search began for mobile applications that can replace them. An important criterion is the independence of transactions from payment systems like MasterCard and Visa.

A suitable application was released back in 2021 by the state organization National Payment Card System (NSPK), which is also responsible for the operation of the Mir system. It is based on the Fast Payment System.

By July 1, 2022, all large Russian banks will support the application under the threat of fines.

What is the Fast Payment System

The Fast Payment System (FPS) is a service that allows you to make instant transfers by mobile phone number between accounts in any banks connected to the FPS. Operations are carried out at any time of the day, without days off.

The service is suitable both for sending money to other users and for transferring between your own accounts. For example, this way you can quickly transfer part of the money from the salary card to the piggy bank. Up to 100,000 rubles per month pass without commission.

You can also use SBP to pay for goods via a QR code or via a payment link in online stores: the user is redirected to the mobile application of the selected bank, where you need to confirm or cancel the withdrawal of money. You don’t have to enter card information.

This payment method is beneficial for stores, especially small ones. In SBP banks 0.4% commission on transactions for consumer goods, medicines, transport, educational services, and for other operations – 0.7%, but not more than 1,500 rubles. The size of these commissions is fixed by the Central Bank. In other payment systems, they vary from 1.5 to 2.5%.

In addition, retail outlets can accept non-cash payments without special equipment. To do this, it is enough to display a QR code at the checkout or use a smartphone.

More than 200 banks have registered in the system, including Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, Raiffeisenbank, Tinkoff, VTB and other well-known organizations. They have added SBP capabilities to their applications – quick transfer and payment by QR code. But NSPK decided to release its own program, which is tailored only for operations without the use of cards.

“SBPey” is a mobile application from NSPK. It is suitable for paying for goods in offline stores and on the Internet. It has the main features of the SBP: transactions by QR code, by a button on the site or through a link. The application is compatible with Android version 6.0 and above and with iOS version 13 or higher.

The program can be useful for those who really want to use their smartphone as a payment tool without SberPay, MirPay or Samsung Pay. It will help out iPhone owners who do not have third-party services.

The application does not use card data, but works with the user’s bank account. Everyone who has issued a card or opened a deposit in a bank has such an account. “SBPey” allows you to bypass the payment systems “Mir”, Visa and Mastercard, while transactions are performed almost instantly.

Some stores already accept payment using QR codes. Of the large networks, these are, for example, Wildberries, L’Etoile and Red & White. Additional discounts may be offered for this payment method.

It is important that SBPey is suitable for those whose smartphone does not support NFC contactless payment technology. Although NSPK continue to test this technology too.

How to use the “SBPey” application

First you need to install it from Google Play or App Store.

Then – launch and select your bank from the proposed list, enter the phone number to which notifications will be sent, as well as the account number for debiting funds. It is important to note that SBPay only works with debit card accounts.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

The application has three main screens: “Home” with a QR code scanner, “Accounts” with all transactions performed, and “More” with settings and help.

To pay for offline purchases, you need to open the main page and hover over the highlighted area on the QR code offered at the store’s checkout. After that, select the payment account, specify the payment amount and confirm.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

If you buy something on the Internet site, you need to select the SBP payment method, and then also scan the code generated on the screen or click on the appropriate button or payment link. Next, you will need to open this link in the SBPey application. Here, as when paying at the checkout, you should select the desired account from which the money will be withdrawn, then check the name of the seller, the amount of the purchase and click “Pay”.

Does “SBPey” have disadvantages

At the moment, the service is not yet ready to completely replace other payment applications. In it, NFC is unstable and not for all banks connected to the SBP. Payment by QR codes has not yet been organized in stores in large quantities, and contactless transactions require terminals configured for SBP. It is also worth remembering that a purchase through SBPey goes through a bank transfer, so customers are not credited with cashback.

In addition, Sberbank, Tinkoff, Alfa-Bank and other popular companies have not yet joined the application. Therefore, dissatisfied users underestimate the ratings in the reviews. Of the fairly well-known organizations, so far there are only Moscow Credit Bank and Russian Standard.

There are analogues that can be used instead of contactless payment. All of them make it possible to make payments on the same principle as Google Pay. That is, it is enough to bring a mobile phone to a compatible terminal to pay for goods or services.

But ordering a new card is easy. And if you can’t wait, issue a virtual card. Many banks offer this service, and it takes no more than a minute. In the Tinkoff bank, for example, it is enough:

  • open your account;
  • click on the + next to it;
  • select in sequence “Issue a new card” “For myself” “Virtual”.

After that, you will be offered a design, and at this stage you need to choose the Mir payment system.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

When you have a Mir card and the Mip Pay app, you need to:

  • open the application;
  • scan the card or enter data manually;
  • activate the card by following the prompts on the screen.

Done. You can make contactless payments using the Mir Pay application.

What is now available to Russians

Since Visa Mastercard stopped operating in Russia, their cards can no longer be linked to Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay – and this is official. But instead of them, the Central Bank advises using Mir cards, which can be linked to domestic payment services. However, there are very few such services.

This service is the main Russian response to Western competitors, created specifically for the cards of the Russian payment system Mir. It was launched in March 2019, starting with just 8 banks, now more than 80 banks are connected to the system (including Sberbank).

Main points about Mir Pay:

  • works only on Android devices (version 6 and above) and only with NFC support. In principle, nothing third-party can be installed on Apple smartphones – the company prohibits third-party manufacturers from accessing the NFC module;
  • to pay with a smartphone, it is enough to unlock the screen with a pin code or fingerprint, this is considered to be entering a pin code on the card. You do not need to enter the application;
  • the payment scheme is generally the same as Google Pay – using one-time tokens, while the card data is not stored on the smartphone;
  • Internet connection is not necessary for payment, but it is periodically necessary to download new one-time payment keys (otherwise a limited number of payments will be available to the user).

To link the Mir card to your smartphone, you must first download the Mir Pay application, it is available both on Google Play and in the AppGallery store from Huawei.

Next, you need to open the application, log in with your Google or Huawei account, and follow the instructions. Further, you will need to enter the card details – either take a picture of it, or enter the data manually, then activate the card. And then you can pay for purchases with your smartphone.

For a client, paying with a smartphone and directly with a card will not differ in any way – he will receive cashback and other bonuses according to his tariff plan, no additional commissions will be charged.

This is already a more niche service – it was launched by Sberbank and only for its cards. It was launched only in the middle of last year, and it has two main functions:

  • pay for purchases online where it is supported (for example, on Wildberries). The client does not need to enter card details and confirm the purchase via SMS – just select the desired card from the list. In addition, when choosing a card, the client immediately sees the balance of funds on it, which is not the case with other systems;
  • payment for purchases at offline points. The functionality is the same as that of Mir Pay or Google Pay, the client can pay with a card through a smartphone, and without model restrictions (including Huawei and Honor without Google services).

You can link any Sberbank card to SberPay, but since March 10, Visa and Mastercard cards are not supported, so now the service is available only for cards of the Mir system.

The linking procedure is simple – no additional application needs to be installed, everything works from the Sberbank Online application. After selecting the desired card, go to the settings section and select “Connect SberPay” – and the card is linked to the system.

Then, if you need to pay for the purchase through the terminal, you need to bring the smartphone to it – the system will ask you to confirm the operation with a fingerprint or a screen unlock pin code. Right on the screen, you can see the balance of the card (and, if desired, choose another card).

The second option is to open SberPay in advance by long pressing the Sberbank Online application icon and unlocking access with a fingerprint. In this case, you will no longer have to confirm the operation.

Sberbank does not charge any additional fees for paying via SberPay, neither from the user of the device, nor from the seller.

Another alternative service – Wallet Pay – has become unavailable for Russians since March 10, because it only supports linking Visa and Mastercard cards.

Huawei Pay

This is another application that works on smartphones of a certain brand. It is available to those who use Huawei and Honor mobile devices. In Russia, it can only be used to make payments using Union Pay cards issued by the following banks:

  • Gazprombank;
  • Eastern Bank;
  • Rosselkhozbank;
  • “Solidarity”.

The list of organizations with which the system cooperates is promised to be expanded in the future.

  • open the app;
  • click + to add a card;
  • scan the card;
  • follow the further instructions on the screen.

If everything went well, you can make contactless payments using Huawei Pay.

Service temporarily unavailable

The “Service is temporarily unavailable” error appears when the Internet connection is unstable. Check if you have other applications open and if there are free GB left in the service package. Also try switching to Wi-Fi if you are using a mobile network.

Another reason is incorrect date and time settings. To synchronize with the Internet server, the application needs the correct date. Go to “Settings” – “General settings” – “Date and time” and set the desired values. Also try updating Mir Pay and clearing the cache.

If all else fails, then the problem might be with the server. In this case, it remains only to wait until the developers fix the problem.

Departure of the Giants

Now, the most severe sanctions in recent history have been introduced against Russia, which can be felt by almost all Russians. Thus, the first sanctions imposed against Russia on February 22 and 23 limited the operations of only a few banks, of which only Promsvyazbank was on the list. The next package of sanctions, introduced after February 24, introduced the most serious blocking of assets and operations of VTB, Sovcombank, Otkritie and several other banks.

But, despite all this, formally the sanctions did not affect the ability to pay with cards – in fact, operations could be stopped in the territory of the countries that imposed sanctions and only for the clients of these banks.

All subsequent actions are no longer related to sanctions, but to the decisions of individual companies to cease operations in Russia:

  • first, on March 2, Apple announced its resignation, explaining that a number of its services in the country would no longer work (but whether Apple Pay was among them was not reported);
  • then the international payment systems Visa and Mastercard announced the suspension of activities in Russia. Cards issued by Russian banks no longer work outside of Russia and vice versa;
  • soon the Central Bank issued its explanations – they implied that Apple Pay and Google Pay would not work in Russia after the departure of payment systems, and even within the country;
  • on Thursday, March 10, it turned out that Samsung Pay will not work in Russia either. True, a little later it turned out that he was still working with Mir cards.

However, not everything is clear even from official reports. So, cards of the Mir system of several Russian banks can be linked to the Apple Pay system since 2021 – and most recently, the Moscow Credit Bank (MCB) reminded about it. And, as reported, at the moment, the Mir card can indeed be linked to Apple Pay – but it is not known how long such a bundle will work. It only works with cards of banks that are not subject to sanctions.

Another question is that it still makes sense only in Russia. Although the system does not transfer the card data directly to the bank (but transfers it in the form of an encrypted data set), in fact the client pays for the purchase from his bank card. And if his card is not accepted in a particular country, then connecting it to Apple Pay in this case will not help.

SberPay

This contactless payment system also has limitations. It is intended for customers of Sberbank and works only with Mir cards. In April 2022, due to technical difficulties, contactless payment using SberPay did not work, but it was restored in early June.

If you have a Mir card issued by Sberbank and the Sberbank Online application, you do not need to install anything additionally. The contactless payment feature is already built into the app. To use it, enter the application and click on your profile icon. After that, click on the gear icon to go to the settings.

You can make it easier by typing the word Sberpay in the search bar next to the profile icon.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

In the “Pay by SberPay phone” item, add your card. After that, you can use the SberPay system.

How smartphone payment works

There are several services for paying for purchases with a smartphone, they all support two main functions:

  • paying for purchases in a regular store – a smartphone is used instead of a contactless payment card;
  • through payment services that support this – you can not enter card details, but simply select it from the list and make a payment.

Depending on the payment system, the payment technology itself may differ, but in general, the scheme of work is approximately the same.

Contactless payments from a smartphone work like this:

  • the client links his bank card to the payment service in the smartphone. The card is tokenized – its data is stored in encrypted form in the service;
  • when paying with a card, the NFC chip in the smartphone communicates with the contactless module in the payment terminal and transfers a one-time token. To do this, it is not even necessary that the smartphone be connected to the Internet – for example, in Google Pay, you can pay for a purchase with a smartphone 6 times without connecting to the network;
  • at the “other end”, the data is decrypted, and the service connects the acquiring bank (terminal owner) with the issuing bank (which issued the card), and payment is made from the card.

That is, the payment service is a kind of intermediary between the issuing bank and the acquiring bank, while it ensures the security of payments.

Depending on the payment service, it may work differently for the client. For example, in Apple Pay, each transaction must be confirmed on a smartphone – enter a pin code or scan a fingerprint. In Google Pay, it is enough to unlock the screen (but a pin code or fingerprint must be set at the system level) and bring the smartphone to the terminal, and in Samsung Pay, you need to open the application and select a card.

At the same time, for example, Samsung Pay also allows you to imitate the magnetic stripe of a card – that is, using a smartphone, you can pay through a terminal that does not support contactless payment (although there are very few of them left).

From the point of view of the client, linking a card to a payment service looks quite simple – you either need to enter the card details in the service application, or find such an item in the mobile application of your bank (then the client just needs to agree with the documents, and the card will be linked).

Endless loading

For many, when starting World Pay, the message “Data processing in progress” or “Access rights are being checked” appears on the screen, and the application itself takes an infinitely long time to load. Especially massively, users complained about such problems on September 7, 2022, after smartphones were updated to Android 13.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Downloading the new version

If World Pay does not work for you, and an endless download appears on your phone, then we recommend reinstalling or updating the version of the application, sometimes it helps.

Stop Mir Pay and clear cache

Also on the forums, users are advised to stop the application and clear the cache. Here’s how to do it:

  • Open Settings.
  • Find “App Management”, open it. Click Manage Apps
  • Click on the App Settings menu. In the list that opens, find Mir Pay, open it. If you have too many applications installed, then use the search at the very top of the screen. Click “App Settings”
  • At the very bottom, select stop. Click “stop”
  • Next, open the “Storage and cache” menu and click on “Clear cache”.

After that, you will have to restart your smartphone. It is better to additionally turn off Wi-Fi and turn on airplane mode, as people on the forums advise. When the phone turns on, open “Settings” again, follow the same path and enable the app. Then, connect to the Internet.

If none of this helped, then it remains only to wait until the developers themselves fix the problem.

Recommended: How to install Mir Pay on iPhone.

How to pay with an Android smartphone without Google Pay

Let’s talk about Mir Pay, SberPay and Samsung Pay, which work great with Russian cards.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

If with the stoppage of Google Pay in Russia you have lost the opportunity to contactless pay with your smartphone with familiar cards, then it is not necessary to switch to plastic. On Android, there are alternative ways to NFC tap-to-pay. Here are the three main ones.

The easiest way to save NFC payment with your smartphone is to get a Mir card and install Mir Pay.

You don’t need to issue a card in plastic – just issue a virtual one in your bank’s application. This is done in just a minute.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

To use the new virtual card to pay with your smartphone, install the Mir Pay application and add it there.

Next, you will need to select Mir Pay as the main payment service – this is done in the smartphone settings in the “Contactless payments” section.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

After that, your electronic card will be displayed on the main page of the application with the signature “For payment by default”. You can pay wherever Mir is supported.

This method, as the name implies, is intended for Sberbank clients. Its slight advantage over the previous solution is that it works directly through the mobile banking application, that is, SberBank Online.

appbox fallback https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.sberbankmobile&hl=ru&gl=ru

In the application, you will also need a Mir card, which can be issued electronically. To do this, click on the “+” above your account (“Wallet”) and select the desired card option. Next – “Digital SberCard” and the payment system “Mir”.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

The card can be linked to a new account. At the checkout confirmation stage, you should disable paid notifications if you do not need extra spending.

To use the new card as a means of payment for NFC payment, click on your profile icon in SberBank Online, select settings (gear) and “Pay by SberPay phone”. Add your “World” there.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

If successful, your number will receive a notification from 900, and your smartphone will offer to update the main payment application – do this if you plan to constantly use SberPay.

Samsung Pay

Despite reports of leaving the Russian market, Samsung Pay also continues to work with Mir cards. The service works only on Samsung smartphones. The list of compatible devices includes dozens of models.

The app itself can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store or Google Play.

You must also add your bank’s Mir card to Samsung Pay, accept the terms of use, and confirm your decision. Then it remains to select the service as the default payment instrument and you can pay.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

How did you solve the problem with Google Pay? Switched to plastic or use another service? Write in the comments.

NFC payment apps

Payment is made by phone with NFC function. Several payments can be made without an internet connection. A payment card is linked in the application.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Application for contactless card payment via phone. You can add MIR system cards issued by any bank in the Russian Federation to the application. Payment is accepted on the territory of Russia by all terminals that support contactless payments with Mir cards.

  • Works with all World maps.
  • Android 6.0 and above.
  • Phone with NFC.
  • Free use.
  • Installing the application.
  • Adding a card to the application (through a photo, or manually entering card details).
  • Activate the map following the prompts.
  • We choose Mir Pay as the main application for contactless payment (in the Mir Pay settings, or in the phone’s NFC settings).

Payments up to 3000 rubles can be made without unlocking the phone, simply by turning on the screen. You can disable this option in the settings by activating the “Request confirmation when paying” item.

Yumani

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

With a yumani wallet, you can pay for goods via your phone using contactless payments. The wallet itself is replenished in various ways, including Visa, Mastercard, MIR, UnionPay, cash at ATMs, SBP fast payments, etc.

  • Install the application.
  • Register in it.
  • Go to the “Maps” section.
  • Select “Contactless Free”.
  • Next, click “Get Instant”.
  • The application will prompt you to select it as the main one for payment. We press “Yes”.
  • You can make 10 transactions without internet connection. Next, you need a network connection.
  • You can replenish your wallet without commission through Sberbank.
  • To replenish your wallet, you can link cards of different payment systems.
  • When paying, confirmation of payment with a password or fingerprint is used.
  • Works on Samsung phones with NFC.
  • MIR cards are connected.
  • Registration is required on the official Samsung.com website.
  • Internet connection is not required when paying.

Samsung Pay payment system is available to owners of Samsung smartphones. You can pay with a MIR card through a phone with NFC. More than 40 bank cards are supported.

  • We go into the application.
  • We select the operation of “adding a card”.
  • Scan the front side of the card (or attach the card to the phone if it has a contactless chip). Enter the CVC code.
  • You will receive an SMS with a code that you need to enter to complete the registration.
  • If the application prompts you to enter your signature, sign in a special field.
  • Launching Samsung Pay.
  • Select the desired card.
  • We confirm the identity with a pin code, or a fingerprint, or a retinal scan (the method is selected in advance in the settings).
  • We bring the phone to the terminal and wait for a sound signal confirming the payment.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Huawei Services (Hong Kong) Co., Limited

The application can be used by owners of some models of Huawei and Honor phones with NFC. You can pay with UnionPay cards issued by Gazprombank, Rosselkhozbank, Vostochny Bank and Solidarity.

When paying, you do not need to unlock the phone and launch the Huawei Wallet application (do not forget to select this application as the main one in the phone settings when paying via NFC). No internet connection required.

  • Open the application.
  • Click on the “+” icon.
  • Scan the card.
  • Follow the instructions on the screen.

The advantage of the system is that it does not matter at all what kind of card you have: Visa, Mastercard or Mir. It works with any debit cards, but not credit cards. The downside is that it allows you to pay for goods and services only through links on the Internet, buttons on the site and QR codes. That is, the principle “bring the smartphone to the terminal and made a payment” does not work here.

You can use “SBPey” only if the seller is ready for it. So far there are few of them. This is due to the fact that the system was created primarily for quick payments using a mobile phone number, and payment via QR codes is a useful, but secondary function. Perhaps in the future the situation will change. To start using SBPay:

  • select your bank from the proposed list;
  • enter the phone number to which notifications will be sent;
  • indicate the account number, the application does not work with plastic card data, but with bank account details.

Now when making a purchase you need to:

  • open the application;
  • point the camera at the QR code on the main page of the application there will be a dedicated area in which you need to “catch” the code;
  • select the payment account, indicate the amount if it is not displayed in the corresponding box, and confirm the payment.

Cards of which banks can be linked to Samsung Pay

There is another important condition, without which you will not be able to use this contactless payment service. The system must support the cards of the bank whose services you use.

Today the system supports cards of more than 100 Russian banks. The list definitely has:

  • Alfa-Bank;
  • Sberbank;
  • VTB Bank;
  • Tinkoff Bank;
  • Gazprombank;
  • “Discovery”;
  • Raiffeisen Bank;
  • Russian Standard.

It is allowed to use Mastercard and Visa cards of international payment systems, as well as cards of the MIR national payment system.

How to link a card to a smartphone with Samsung Pay

The smartphone must have an application of the same name. Usually it is included in the list of preinstalled programs, but if for some reason it is not there, download it from the Galaxy Store.

Also, the smartphone must be connected to the Internet.

Log in to the app with your Samsung Account and select the unlock method. It could be:

  • smart scan;
  • iris unlock;
  • fingerprint unlock;
  • PIN code.

In this case, you need to come up with a separate PIN code – not the one you use to unlock your smartphone.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Now open the app and select “Add Card” from the menu. It can be scanned using the camera, it is also possible to enter all the data manually.

The next step is checking the card. Your smartphone will receive an SMS with a code that must be entered in a special field on the screen.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Preparations for the use of the Samsung Pay contactless payment system are being completed by drawing your own signature on the display. This is because merchants may require you to confirm that you are the owner of the card you are paying with.

It usually takes about 10 minutes to use Samsung Pay after completing all the steps above. During this time, the card will be registered in the service.

If you plan to use Samsung Pay on smart watches, you need to install another application on them:

  • for Galaxy Watch models – Samsung Wearable;
  • for Gear models – Samsung Gear.

The general principle of setting will be the same, only the smart watch must be connected to a smartphone with the Samsung Pay application.

Multiple cards can be specified in the application. In this case, the first one will be considered the “default card”. If you do not take any action, the money will be debited from it. If you want to choose another card, you can do this:

  • on a smartphone – swipe across the screen and tap on the card you prefer to use;
  • on smartwatches – by turning the bezel.

You can also add any club card, as long as it has a barcode. To do this, the application provides a separate section “Club cards”.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

How to pay for a purchase or service

Before making a payment, log in to the application using the method you have previously chosen.

Bring your smartphone or smart watch with its back to the terminal. If you pay for a purchase or service via NFC, the device must be brought to the top of the terminal. If contactless payment is not supported, the watch or phone must be brought to the terminal on the right, where it has a magnetic stripe reader. You do not need to touch the device to the terminal.

If the payment was successful, a notification about the transaction will appear on the screen of the smartphone or watch.

Is internet connection required when paying with Samsung Pay

No, an internet connection is only required when setting up Samsung Pay and linking the card. In all other cases, when you pay for purchases or services, the system will work even if the smartphone or smart watch is not online at that time.

The app, as its name suggests, only works on Samsung smartphones and smartwatches. And only with Mir cards. It can be downloaded from Google Pay or Galaxy Store.

There is a handy function on the Russian-language official website of Samsung that allows you to understand whether the system works with your bank cards. Follow the link and start typing the name of the bank in the empty line, you will be immediately informed whether you will be able to use contactless payment or not.

If everything is in order, then:

  • open the app;
  • select the item “Bank cards” in the menu;
  • click on + to add your card;
  • scan it or enter the data manually.

Unlike the applications mentioned above, Samsung Pay is also suitable for storing and using discount cards and travel tickets.

Which devices support Samsung Pay

Unlike the popular Android Pay system (“Android Pay”), this service is supported only by devices manufactured by Samsung. Even if you install the Samsung Pay app on a non-Samsung device, you won’t be able to pay.

A complete list of smartphones with which the system works is presented on the manufacturer’s website. Includes:

  • all flagship devices from Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5;
  • most modern models of the middle and even budget class.

Some smartphones allow you to pay using NFC technology. They do not work with terminals equipped with magnetic stripe card readers. You can find information about the capabilities of a particular device at the link above.

Also, the Samsung Pay system works with many Samsung smart watches – only NFC payment is supported. The list includes the following models:

  • Gear S3 Classic;
  • Gear Sport;
  • Galaxy Watch;
  • Galaxy Watch Active;
  • Galaxy Watch4 Classic.

Please note that the system will not work if the owner of the phone is rooted. Even if you restore the standard firmware, the situation will not change. Rollback is not possible, obtaining root-rights leads to a complete blocking of Samsung Pay on the device.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

World Pay doesn’t work on Android

Why doesn’t Mir Pay work today – people ask this question when they come to the cashier and the payment does not go through. The reason is simple – the default payment method is incorrectly set in the phone settings.

To fix the problem, follow the instructions:

  • Open Settings.
  • Find “Connect and share”. Open it and click on “Contactless payments”.
  • Click on “Payment by default” and select “Mir Pay” in the menu that opens.

Also, users are advised to hold the smartphone at the payment terminal for at least one minute. Another option is to remove the phone from the cash register and attach it again, as sometimes World Pay works through time.

Another way is to disconnect from the Internet and reconnect. The application stores 10 unique tokens that are used to make payments and allow you to identify the user without the Internet. However, due to bugs in the Mir Pay program, tokens are not generated on time, which is why a person cannot make a purchase. When you connect to the internet again, the application will regenerate the tokens.

Recommended: How to add a Mir Pay card

Contactless payment without NFC

Non-NFC phones can also be used for contactless payments. In this case, payments are made differently. Payment is made by QR codes. The application scans the code and makes a transfer to the details specified in it.

  • Scan the QR code.
  • Enter the required amount.
  • Confirm the operation.

The transfer will be instantly credited to the account, as it is processed through the fast payment system (FPS).

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Transfers are made without the use of cards. Operations take place from a bank account. Contactless payment via phone in stores and online. Scanned the code, entered the amount and confirmed.

  • More than 90 Russian banks support work with the SBPey application.
  • Android 6.0 and above.
  • No NFC required.

Preparation for work:

  • Install the application.
  • Select your bank from the list.
  • Indicate the account number and phone number.
  • Enter the received code from SMS for confirmation.

So far, Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, Tinkoff, Raiffeisen and others have not been added. Most of the little-known ones are in the list of supported banks. The application will be useful mainly for contributors of these organizations, who most likely do not have their own application.

Sberbank

Quick payments via QR codes are available in the application. They can be made from phones without NFC support.

  • We go to the application and click on the profile photo.
  • Go to settings (gear icon).
  • Scroll down and find the menu – Fast payment system. We press.
  • The following features can be connected separately: 1. Incoming transfers. 2. Outgoing transfers. 3. Payment by QR code.
  • Press – Connect. Ready. Now you can pay at the checkout with your phone using a QR code and make instant payments.

For owners of smartphones without an NFC module, it is possible to pay for purchases using QR codes. The user replenishes the electronic wallet, or binds a card to it, and can make instant contactless payments by scanning codes.

In the application, select the “Catalog” tab. Next, click on the icon in the form of a qr-code. Or go to the “Pay” menu and select “QR-payment”.

Tinkoff

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

Point the camera at the code. The details of the organization will appear on the screen. At the bottom there is a field for entering the payment amount (enter the desired amount) and click “Transfer”.

Mir Pay app crashes on rooted phone

If you have obtained Root rights or unlocked the bootloader of the operating system on your smartphone, then Mir Pay will not work. Usually, at this moment, an inscription appears on the screen: “Mir Pay is not supported on this device”, and the application closes.

Contactless payment service using a smartphone and How to pay with a phone instead of an Android card and iPhone

In this case, two applications will help you: SafeNet and Magist. They are not in PlayMarket, so you have to download from the Internet. The best way to do this is with GitHub for Magist and GitHub for SafeNet.

To restore Mir Pay, follow the instructions

  • Transfer the APK file to your smartphone and install.
  • Run Magist and click on the gear in the upper right corner.
  • Scroll down and find “Zygisk”, activate it. Turn on Zygist
  • Activate “Denylist” which is just below.
  • Click on “Denylist settings” and in the opened list find Mir Pay and other payment systems that you use.

In Magist 24.0 and older, the “Zygisk” function is called “MagiskHide”.

Next, you need to install the SafeNet module. For this:

  • Open the Magist main menu and click on “Modules” in the lower right corner.
  • Click “Install from storage”, in the menu that opens, find the SafeNet module and click on it.
  • After that, the installation will start. When the module is installed, click the “Restart” button in the lower right corner.
  • The smartphone will reboot and Mir Pay will start working.

If you encounter a problem in which the World Pay application crashes on Android, then update the program. Most likely, the developers have already fixed this error. If you have the latest version installed, then nothing can be done, you have to wait for a new patch.

Videos

This contactless payment system only worked with Visa and Mastercard. After they leave Russia, it will not be possible to make contactless payments with it. But the Wallet app is worth mentioning for another reason. It makes it possible to issue bonus and discount cards for stores and use them in a contactless mode. Now you do not need to carry a lot of plastic cards with you to receive discounts.

It is enough to install the Wallet mobile application and issue the cards you need directly in it. Just bring your smartphone to the terminal and the purchase amount will decrease. The application can be downloaded from the Google Play store and has its own website.

As you can see, the absence of Google Pay does not mean that you will never be able to use contactless payments again. Alternative options are available to you.

How safe is it to use this system

The developers of the service paid a lot of attention to security issues. Neither card data nor payment information is stored on the mobile device or on Samsung’s servers.

When you add a card, a digital token is automatically created – a unique combination of 16 digits tied to a specific phone or smart watch. It is she who is used to make a payment instead of the real data of a bank card.

To make a payment, you must log in using the method you have chosen. This means that even if someone steals your device, they won’t be able to use it to pay because they don’t know the PIN, they won’t pass the smart scan, and they won’t be able to unlock the app with their fingerprint or iris.

Initial setting

  • Install one of the contactless payment apps (links below).
  • Activate the NFC function in your phone settings. In the same place, select the application that you will use (the section may be called “Contactless payment”, “One-touch payment”, etc.).
  • Add a payment card in the app.

How contactless payment works

  • When buying, turn on the phone and bring it close to the terminal.
  • In a couple of seconds, the payment will be processed.

Pros, cons, possible pitfalls

In general, the Mir Pay system provides the same opportunities as Google Pay, which left Russia, but also on the same platform. You can link to the service a payment card of the Mir system of almost all large and medium-sized banks, and pay with a smartphone through any terminal that supports contactless payment.

Accordingly, the pros and cons of Mir Pay and SberPay are the same as for the Mir cards themselves:

There are no pitfalls as such in this case – in fact, payment services repeat the main features of the departed Apple Pay and Google Pay, only for Mir cards and only within the country. Therefore, all the main disadvantages are a continuation of the disadvantages of the Mir payment system.

However, it should be borne in mind that you can pay with Mir Pay without any problems only in Russia – how payment will work in countries where Mir cards are formally accepted for payment (Turkey, Vietnam, etc.), to say very difficult. The website of the payment system does not say anything about this – therefore it is better not to take risks, but simply pay with a card. Better yet, have cash with you, because even in these countries Mir cards are supported at the level of individual banks, and payment may not go through at a particular outlet.

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