Google has launched Google Wallet in India, following its successful relaunch in the United States nearly two years ago. Google Wallet, alongside Google Pay, aims to enhance the digital payment experience in India with new features that improve convenience and efficiency.

Expanding the Scope of Digital Payments

Google Wallet caters to non-payment use cases such as storing boarding passes, gift cards, event tickets, and loyalty cards, while Google Pay serves as the primary payment solution. Integrated with the Android system, users can manage their digital transactions on the digital platform.

Additionally, users can add various items, including boarding passes and loyalty cards, through QR codes, barcodes, or links shared via Gmail. Moreover, the app supports creating passes from images containing barcodes or QR codes.

Google has collaborated with local brands and service providers to support Google Wallet in the Indian market. Initially partnering with 20 brands including Flipkart, IndiGo, and MakeMyTrip, the digital wallet provides users with seamless experiences across entertainment and travel sectors. Furthermore, the digital wallet collaborates with local transportation operators, enabling users to access transit tickets.

Competition from Major Brands

With the increasing prevalence of smartphones in India, Google Wallet aims to capitalize on the country's expanding payment landscape. However, it faces fierce competition from existing players such as Samsung Pay and Apple Wallet.

In February, Google announced plans to discontinue Google Pay in the United States starting June 2024 and transition users to Google Wallet, which will retain features like in-store tap-to-pay and payment method management. Reportedly, Google Wallet's usage in the US is five times that of Google Pay, making it a primary platform for storing payment cards and other digital items such as transit cards and IDs.

Despite the shift to Google Wallet in the US, Google Pay's services in other countries including India and Singapore remain unaffected. Users in these regions can continue making online and offline payments through Google Pay. Google assures users in these regions that Google Pay will remain unchanged, and they can still access and manage their funds through the Google Pay website.