Samsung Pay Arrives in Mexico

Samsung Pay has been staging a fairly steady worldwide expansion since its launch in 2015, and recently made an arrival that many likely thought had already happened when it hit in Mexico. While there was a landing page that went up about Samsung Pay back in November, this wasn’t actually the full launch, reports note.

Reports suggest that that landing page was actually heavily curated, as those who signed up for Samsung Pay via the landing page needed to be accepted before access to the system would be provided. The landing page itself has since been taken down, but now, the full launch is live, reports note, and Mexicans with the right devices should be able to start using Samsung Pay immediately.

Several banks, at last report, have already announced backing for Samsung Pay. Santander, HSBC, Citibanamex, Banregio, and Banorte have all declared support so far. Since Samsung Pay works on an near-field communications (NFC) basis, the system works just about anywhere a card can be swiped. Though this is geared primarily toward high-end Samsung devices, some of the middle-grade models can put it to work as well; the J7 Pro and the A8 are key examples.

Such a move would likely prove welcome for those who already use Samsung Pay and are planning to take a trip to Mexico. Anyone concerned about the crime rate in Mexico may well find Samsung Pay a useful tool to have on hand to prevent muggings, since it’s got more protections on it than, say, a fistful of cash.

It certainly helps that Samsung Pay has such a broad reach; its use of NFC as an underpinning technology allows it to go a lot farther than many common mobile payments systems will. We all remember the Hannibal Buress ads showing how easy it is to put Samsung Pay to use, and in places you might not expect to see it used. Given that the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) that tourism contributes—16 percent in 2016, at last report—making it easier and safer for tourists to come to the country will be a welcome move.

Between perking up the tourist trade and giving citizens an easier, safer way to pay, the introduction of Samsung Pay into the broader Mexican market should prove welcome trade indeed.