Apple Pay reportedly coming to Taiwan’s four big banks as soon as this year

Sunset over Taiwan’s capital, Taipei

A brief Digitimes report suggests that Taiwan is one of the next countries in line to get Apple Pay, possibly by the end of the year.

Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission has started accepting applications from banks for providing Apple Pay mobile payment services and Taiwan users will be able to apply for using Apply Pay at the end of 2016 at the earliest.

Four banks are expected to support the service …

The report names Taiwan’s CTBC Bank, Cathay United Commercial Bank, E.SUN Commercial Bank and Taishin International Bank – though this may be simply because they are the largest banks on the island.

It says that only credit cards will be supported at launch, with debit card support likely following at a later date.

Apple Pay is currently available in in Australia, Canada, Mainland China, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, the UK and the United States. A special version for Japan supporting the country’s FeliCa mobile payment system is on the way.

Apple also continues its U.S. rollout, with 26 new banks and credit unions added earlier this month.

Photo: Skotcher