Dan Pražák Press Release: With Twist, a Czech payment application, customers can pay with mobile phones and Apple watches. Twisto is thus the first and only Czech non-bank fintech service that offers this innovative payment option in addition to some banks. Thanks to Twist, Apple Pay can also be used by customers of banks that do not offer Apple Pay without having to change banks, thanks to the simple online registration.
"Everywhere in the world, it turns out that users of Apple devices are significantly more inclined towards modern technologies and mobile payments than users of other operating systems. We expect a lot from Apple Pay, because just like our NFC payment wristband, paying with a phone or watch makes life significantly easier. We believe that thanks to Apple Pay, customers whose bank does not provide this payment will find their way to Twist, as well as those who will want an equally modern mobile application for modern payment with instant notifications after payment and a greater overview of their expenses." says Michal Šmída, founder and CEO of Twista.
Apple customers pay with Twist more often
Twisto's high expectations from Apple Pay are also based on previous experience, where Twisto account holders with an Apple mobile phone have up to 45 percent more payment and transaction activity compared to Android users. The success of Apple Pay in Poland is also raising expectations. Apple Pay went live there in June of last year, and data shows that Apple Pay customers made more payments in the first few months than Google Pay users did in an entire year. Twisto also knows this data thanks to the cooperation with the Polish bank ING Bank Śląski, with which this July it launched a unique payment gateway enabling one-click payment at less than a hundred e-shops. ING Bank Śląski is also one of the investors in Twista.
“I'm delighted that Mastercard, together with Twist, is launching Apple Pay today. Twisto thus becomes the only Czech fintech company and one of the first players on the market to support this service. Simple payment by phone complements the regular Mastercard card and the contactless payment bracelet that Twisto introduced earlier. Paying with Twist not only simplifies life, but practically eliminates the need to carry cash with you. I believe that thanks to Twist, Czech users will like Apple Pay and that we will continue with other joint payment innovations in the future at least as intensively." said Michal Čarný, Director of Business Development at Mastercard for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria.
Adding a Twisto card to an iOS device is simple via the Twisto mobile app, and it's just as easy for the Apple Watch. Apple Pay is supported by iPhone SE, 6 and all newer models. Also all Apple Watch models and select iPad tablet models.
Apple has launched Apple Pay in 31 countries so far, first introducing the service in October 2014 in the US. For example, people in Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Russia, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, France, New Zealand and Scandinavian countries can also use it.
I tried to set up an account on Twist today, but despite trying several times, it didn't work once. I'm losing a little trust in this service and I'd probably rather go to a bank that has been tested for years. Twisto is probably not that well tuned yet and I won't risk it.