G Pay is launching in the country soon. This popular digital payment service, also known as Google Wallet, is expected to start within the next month. This will change how people make payments.
With Google Pay, your smartphone will become your digital wallet. You will not need to carry plastic cards anymore. You can use your phone for many things. This includes paying for flights, shopping, or movie tickets.
Initially, City Bank customers will be the first to use G Pay. They can add their Visa and Mastercard (in Bangladeshi Taka) to the G Pay app. Then, they can make payments using their Android phones at any shop that has an NFC (Near Field Communication) terminal. More banks across Bangladesh are expected to join this service later.
Until now, G Pay could not launch in Bangladesh. This was because its systems needed to connect with the country’s banking systems. But many people in cities, especially those who love technology, want to use NFC for payments. This new G Pay service will mark a big step for money transactions in Bangladesh.
City Bank and Google are working together to bring G Pay to Bangladesh. Once launched, users can easily make ‘tap and go’ payments at contactless POS (Point of Sale) machines. This will make shopping faster, safer, and more modern.
A top banking official, who did not want to be named, said this is very important. “It will make everyday shopping much easier. It will also make buying things online smoother. If other banks also join G Pay, Bangladesh’s digital finance system will enter a new era,” he said.
India is already very advanced in digital contactless payments. In December 2024, G Pay handled a very large share of India’s digital transactions. G Pay also launched in Pakistan on March 12. The service is also available in other countries like Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Will G Pay Need Approval from Bangladesh Bank?
Sources say G Pay itself may not need direct approval from Bangladesh Bank to launch its app. This is because G Pay will not store users’ financial data. Users will link their own bank cards to the app. All transactions will happen through their respective banks. However, banks that plan to connect with G Pay will need to inform the Central Bank before starting the service.
How Much Will G Pay Cost?
Usually, G Pay does not charge users for making purchases. It also does not charge for online payments or sending money to other people if they use their bank account or debit card.
However, the bank that issued your card might have its own fees. These fees can depend on the bank’s rules, the type of card, and the kind of transaction. For example, if a payment involves foreign currency or an international payment system, banks might charge a foreign transaction fee, usually between 1% to 3%. For local transactions within Bangladesh, there are generally no extra fees.
But, one source mentioned that if G Pay processes a local payment through an international server for some reason, a fee might apply.
G Pay and Local Services
Bangladesh already has many popular local mobile financial services (MFS) like bKash, Rocket, and Upay. People also use credit and debit cards for digital payments. These MFS providers operate under strict rules from Bangladesh Bank.
bKash is the largest MFS provider in the country. It handles about 1.5 crore (15 million) transactions every day. A senior official from bKash said, “We want a level playing field for everyone. G Pay is an international platform. We need to see how it will affect our local digital platforms.”
The arrival of G Pay is expected to bring more choice and convenience to Bangladeshi consumers.