Apple Pay is now live in Italy, and Mastercard has announced that it will offer its cardholders with boon, Carrefour Bank and Unicredit cards immediate access to the new service helping them to use their cards where and how they want with a seamless experience.

Users of iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, and Apple Watch can make safe, secure and convenient payments at every shop that accept contactless payments; and payments within apps or Safari using iPhone 6 and later, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3 and later. Contactless acceptance is easy to spot thanks to the symbol displayed on supported terminals.

Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you add a card (credit, debit or prepaid card) to Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code. This process is secure and fast and it has no impact on the user’s experience.

The Mastercard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) is key to enabling Mastercard credit or debit cardholders to use Apple Pay. It is a secure payment system that has been built with ‘EMV cryptography’ – ensuring that transactions can take full advantage of the most advanced payment security in the world.

In order to further protect consumers, Apple Pay incorporates additional security features such as Touch ID (a biometric technology based on finger print) to authorise every contactless payment. For consumers and retailers alike, it means that every Apple Pay purchase made with a Mastercard will offer the security, benefits and guarantees of any Mastercard transaction.

Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by Mastercard credit, debit and pre-paid cards such as points, cashback and insurance protection when you spend using Apple Pay. In stores, Apple Pay works with iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, and Apple Watch.

Paolo Battiston, Division President Italy & Greece Mastercard comments: “Apple Pay’s launch in our country is going to fasten mobile payments’ use for millions of consumers, who are now able to pay contactlessly with their Apple devices. Our mission is to offer easier and more secure payment solutions to consumers and merchants, such as Apple Pay, which embeds the security level of credit cards with chip technology together with biometric simplicity and security”.

Online shopping in apps and on websites accepting Apple Pay is as simple as the touch of a finger with Touch ID, so there’s no need to manually fill out lengthy account forms or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information. When paying for goods and services on the go in apps or Safari, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3 and later. You can also use Apple Pay in Safari on any Mac introduced in or after 2012 running macOS Sierra and confirm the payment with iPhone 6 or later or Apple Watch, or with Touch ID on the new MacBook Pro.

Starting from today boon, Carrefour Bank and Unicredit’s card holders can use their Mastercard card to pay with Apple Pay in Italy. Mastercard has already helped more than 100 banks in the US and Europe to enable their cards for Apple Pay.