JPMorgan Chase has stepped on the gas as it bids to win the mobile payments race, inking a multi-year deal with Shell that will see Chase Pay accepted at stations across the US.
Unveiled late last year, Chase Pay is the bank's weapon in a fight back against tech giants Apple, Google and Samsung in the increasingly crowded mobile money arena.
Already available for some e-commerce sites, the wallet will soon go live for in-store and in-app purchases for Chase’s customers across its 94 million credit, debit and prepaid card accounts, working with almost all smartphones.
Starbucks is set to accept the payment method, while a deal with retail consortium MCX means that Chase Pay will be gradually rolled out at more than 100,000 locations owned by giants such as Walmart, Target and Best Buy.
Shell, which is the largest fuel retailer in the US serving around 20 million people a day, is the first MCX member to officially sign on for Chase Pay.
Craig Schneider, VP, retail marketing, North America, says: "Adding Chase Pay to the multiple payment methods Shell accepts will deliver a simplified, differentiated and personalized customer experience while driving loyalty."
The success of Chase Pay is as important for MCX as the bank. Yesterday the consortium ended a beta test of its CurrentC app and admits that it does not have a full launch timeline and is concentrating on tie-ups with financial institutions.