Japanese messaging outfit Line launches m-payments service

Japanese messaging giant Line is rolling out its mobile payments service for online and in-store transactions to users around the world.

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Japanese messaging outfit Line launches m-payments service

Editorial

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The firm, which claims 170 million active users, first outlined plans for Line Pay in October, initially for users in its native Japan.

However, customers worldwide will soon be able to link the Line mobile app to credit cards. Users will then be able top up their Line account and make purchases online and in-store at participating retailers through the service.

For security, the iOS version of the service will tap Apple's TouchID as well as a password. The Android app will have a different type of two-factor authentication system in place.

The payments feature is just one of several new areas for Line, as it seeks to follow the path taken by China's WeChat and move beyond messaging. Line is also planning a music streaming service, an Uber-style cab hailing app, and a food delivery offering.

In the west, both Facebook and Twitter are also making moves into payments, testing buy buttons for instant purchases and prepping P2P money transfer features.

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Comments: (1)

A Finextra member 

I'm wondering how this will work in store? It is clearly not NFC on iOS, since the NFC element is not open to 3rd party wallets (yet). Given it is for 'participating retailers' I'm assuming this'll be a QR code payment wallet? This'll make acceptance limited of course - unless there is some kind of NFC sticker that can be placed on the phone.

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