NTT Docomo partners with Mastercard to extend payment network globally

The MasterCard PayPass Ready Smartphones from Docomo will enable consumers using iDTM mobile payment to make contactless payments while traveling the world, anywhere MasterCard PayPass is accepted. 

 “Independent industry growth projections suggest that the global installed base of NFC-ready point-of-sale terminals could grow to 43.4 million units in 2017," Vicky Bindra, president, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide, said at the launch event in Tokyo today. "This signifies the great potential in the contactless payment space."

Since Docomo first launched its iD-branded mobile credit payments in Japan in 2005, it's racked up 17 million users and currently has the highest number of subscribers using e-wallet enabled mobile phones (Osaifu-Keitai), according to Masaki Yoshikawa, executive vice-president and managing director of DOCOMO’s credit card business division. 

The service is scheduled for launch during the first half of next year, at which time customers in Japan using both iD mobile credit payments and NFC compatible Docomo smartphones will have access to the service outside Japan. 

So far more than 70 models have already been approved as Mobile PayPass compatible devices.