First Abu Dhabi Bank launches sound-based payments

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has announced the launch of a new sound-based payment system using its digital wallet.

The system, described as a first of its kind in the Gulf, allows customers to make payments using the banks payit digital wallet app on their smartphone by listening to a sound and clicking pay, FAB said.

It uses sound waves to enable contactless payment and communication between devices “independent of hardware”.

This system can be used with electronic cash registers, point of sales machines and devices and merchant mobile phones for payments in real time.

FAB said it partnered with fintech firms ToneTag and Marshal to launch the service.

“After successfully rolling out the UAE’s first QR-based payment system in March, we focused on launching a game-changing UAE-wide solution that is built around communication between smart devices,” said the bank’s head of payments Ramana Kumar

“We look forward to expanding payit’s acceptance across all merchants in the UAE. Our objective is to enable UAE-wide usage of payit utilising existing infrastructure and delivering a safe, secure and forward-looking payment experience.”

The sound payment system is being officially launched today at the Gitex Shopper event in Dubai.

FAB was formed following the merger of First Gulf Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi last year.

Read: First Abu Dhabi Bank Q2 profit up 19%

The bank is also part of an alliance backing the Klip app, which aims to make half of UAE transactions cashless in five years from an estimated 25 per cent today.

Read: UAE app aims to make half of transactions cashless in 5 years