First National Bank (FNB) has announced it is to allow non-customers to use its smartphone banking application through its “eWallet”.
Users will need to download the FNB Banking App to access the new offering, in order to perform transactions such as buying airtime, data and prepaid electricity, as well as sending money.
The bank has termed the move as “stragetic”, a “means of attracting non-FNB customers through unique features available on the FNB app, which already has more than 400 000 active users”.
“FNB customers can use the eWallet to make quick prepaid purchases, withdrawals and payments, including geo payments, without the need to login,” said Farren Roper, head of the FNB Connect Internet service provider and business operations, in a statement.
“The eWallet service on the app and also for existing eWallet users is akin to carrying a real wallet around in their pocket. The eWallet sits outside of login.
“Non-FNB customers can now also use eWallet on the app to make geo payments, whereas previously, they could only receive geo payments. The fact that non-FNB customer can now also make geo payments means that we are moving even closer to an open ecosystem, which is quite a significant development in the contactless payments space.”
