NatWest rolls out Tap to Pay on Android for business customers

UK bank NatWest is to launch Tap to Pay on Android, offering businesses a new way to collect payments on their mobile phone in person.

Through Tyl by NatWest, which is a payment partner for UK SMEs, customers will have the ability to turn compatible Android devices into contactless mobile card readers and accept in-person contactless payments on their own Android phones, including credit and debit cards, and digital wallets.

Tap to Pay on Android will be available for a small cohort of Tyl by NatWest merchants as part of an initial rollout phase, before a full launch later this year.

Mike Elliff, chief executive officer of Tyl by NatWest, says: “NatWest Tap to Pay on Android is an exciting innovation that will give our customers more flexibility to accept in-person payments anywhere.

“We understand that business owners are always looking for ways to streamline their operations, boost sales and connect with their customers regardless of location, all while benefiting from tech to make their own sales experience seamless.”

He added: “This new product enables us to meet their needs and put contactless payments into the pockets of countless businesses, optimising the payment experience for all.”

Following the initial launch, NatWest will gather insights from the cohort of customers that have used the new service to inform the full rollout later in the year.

Speaking to Open Banking Expo earlier this year, Elliff said he was “seeing a good pipeline of mid and large businesses” adopting Open Banking as a payment channel, but that there is still a need to “create awareness among merchants and consumers”.

In April, Tim Johnson joined the bank as head of strategy of Tyl by NatWest and Payit, having worked at Raidiam for three years.