Starling Bank Now Accepts Apple Pay

Starling Bank, the digital-only U.K. bank, has now added Apple Pay support as an online payment method, which means customers can add their Starling debit card to Apple Wallet.

According to a news report, with the mobile pay support, customers can make online payments via their Apple devices. Starling Bank is the latest of a string of banks in the U.K. that are supporting Apple Pay, including well-known, traditional ones.

The digital bank says it will be the first in the U.K. to offer in-app provisioning for Apple Pay. Customers of Starling will be able to load their payment cards into their digital wallet before the physical card comes in the mail.

In April, Starling inked a partnership with Pay by Bank, the mobile payment app of Vocalink, to enable users to buy things online. According to a report, Pay by Bank app’s technology is already being used by Barclay’s with its Pingit app, but the report noted this marks the first time a digital challenger bank has decided to use the service, which relies on digital tokens instead of requiring users to provide account and card details when making purchases online.

In an interview, Starling Chief Operating Officer Julian Sawyer said using the technology of Pay by Bank is “important as it not only allows customers to bank and transact on the go, but also to benefit from a greater range of choice and sense of security.” What’s more, he said, “Pay by Bank app’s ‘token’ technology means financial data never leaves the customer’s banking app during a transaction, staying safe and secure.”

Meanwhile, earlier this month Apple announced 21 new financial institutions had joined the growing list that accepts the digital payment method. According to a report, the new group of banks to now support Apple Pay include American Eagle Financial Credit Union, Central Virginia Federal Credit Union, Community Bank & Trust of Florida, Community Savings Bank, First Bank of Berne, First Financial Federal Credit Union, Fremont Federal Credit Union, Greater State Bank and Highlands State Bank, among a host of others.