Payments technology company Visa rolled out its 'Click to Pay' service in the Middle East on Wednesday, aimed at allowing its customers to make quick and secure online payments.
The Click to Pay icon will be displayed on participating merchants’ websites and consumers who opt to use it will not have to fill out forms giving details such as their card number, password or shipping address to make purchases.
"Whenever the consumer sees Click to Pay icon next to our logo, it means that merchant is connected with Visa … that merchant can access the users' data saved remotely with us," Hadi Raad, vice president and head of digital solutions for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at Visa, told The National.
To ensure that customers’ data is safe, the US-based company is using tokenisation technology that replaces a user’s 16-digit account number with a secure token that protects the underlying card number from fraudsters.
“[The] actual card number will not be shared with the merchants … only a token will be shared that will work only in the context of [a] Click to Pay transaction. Moreover, customers will decide on their own whether to use this service or not,” said Mr Raad.
Click to Pay will save customers time and minimise the scope for “errors and frictions in online purchases”, he added.
“Online transactions involve many frictions as customers need to manually put details on different merchants’ sites. There are cases when they make mistakes and abandon the purchase in-between or move to other merchants, causing a loss to the business.”
First launched in the US in October last year, Click to Pay had more than 10,000 merchants registered by January.
In the Middle East, the service is beginning in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. Other regional markets will follow soon, said Mr Raad.
“We have plans to expand but I cannot give the timeline. Eventually, we want this experience to become a global standard.
“Hundreds of regional merchants have already opted for this service”, he added, without disclosing an exact number. Some of the early adopters include Emirates, Etisalat, Freedom Pizza and Kcal.
Mr Raad said that Visa is expecting a strong response from customers as many more people are opting for online shopping due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A Visa-commissioned survey last month revealed that more consumers are shopping online, with two-thirds of UAE consumers making their first online grocery purchase during the outbreak, and 70 per cent making their first online purchase from pharmacies.
Visa is also working with other payment service providers in the region such as Checkout.com, Noon payments and PayGate in a bid to streamline payment processes.
It will provide a “seamless interface for consumers and we are excited to bring it to our merchants”, said Sebastian Reis, executive vice president, global e-commerce at Checkout.com.
“This will empower our merchants to get more value out of every transaction,” he added.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Play-off fixtures
Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14
- Northern Ireland v Switzerland
- Croatia v Greece
- Denmark v Ireland
- Sweden v Italy
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Upcoming games
SUNDAY
Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton (5.30pm)
Leicester City v Everton (8pm)
MONDAY
Burnley v Newcastle United (midnight)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
