BBVA today announced it is the first global banking group to commercially launch mobile NFC payments based on new cloud-based (HCE) payment specifications from Visa, according to a press release. The new cloud-based system will enable BBVA customers with NFC-enabled Android handsets to make contactless purchases by downloading an updated version of the BBVA Wallet app, available immediately.

"Our employees and some of our customers, who are the most active users of BBVA Wallet in Spain, are already using this latest technology that gives BBVA the opportunity to offer our millions of customers worldwide an incredibly simple and intuitive way to start using their phone for contactless payments," Mehmet Sezgin, BBVA Global Payment Systems director, said in a statement.  

The BBVA Wallet update is already operating in Spain, and will be extended to BBVA customers in the U.S., Mexico and Chile this year. 

The international expansion of BBVA Wallet has been possible through Visa's Cloud Based Payments specification, part of which incorporates the use of HCE technology, according to a press release. 

"The banking industry has recognized the demand for mobile payments from customers across Europe," Jeremy Nicholds, executive director for mobile for Visa Europe. "Mobile offers a faster way to make secure payments and also has the potential to integrate with other forms of mobile banking functionality, supporting better money management. Cloud-based payments and HCE functionality is helping improve the time to market for banks looking to offer mobile contactless to their customers, while broadening the accessibility for consumers."