Google Pay Linked to Your PayNow Account? OCBC Customers Get First Dibs, Can Win Prizes Too

This post was written in collaboration with OCBC Bank. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best recommendations and advice in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here.

---

For the longest time ever, Google Pay was only available to Android™ users who had debit or credit cards.

However, since 25 February, a new Google Pay experience has launched in Singapore.

Now, customers of OCBC Bank are able to send money to anyone in Singapore registered on PayNow with Google Pay, even if the recipient does not have the Google Pay app. Hurrah! 

OCBC Bank is currently the first and only bank on board the peer-to-peer transfer service as of now.

Going cashless is now even more convenient Consolidation of PayNow and Google Pay — 2 key payment methods in our fragmented e-payments landscape More payment options aside from debit/credit cards Access to contactless payments — tap and pay at over 80,000 merchants instantly; you can also use this feature when taking public transport (Android only) It’s easier to shop online (just choose Google Pay at checkout within your favourite apps and sites) With the linkage of PayNow and Google Pay, there’s no need for OCBC customers to create a Google Pay wallet or take additional steps to access funds in their bank account in order to make a Google Pay transaction

 Here are some of the highlights about this link-up, explained:

 

What is Google Pay Singapore?

Google Pay Singapore is a newly-launched app that allows you to send money to friends, earn cashback rewards, order food for takeaway, and more. And best of all, for those on NFC-enabled phones, you can also make contactless payments!

You can download it from both the Google Play Store and App Store — yes it’s for both Android and iOS. Ensure that your App Store or Google Play Store account is set to “Singapore” before downloading the app. Be sure to double check your account settings if you can’t seem to find the app!

With the new Google Pay x PayNow availability via OCBC Bank, you can also send money to anyone in Singapore registered on PayNow with Google Pay, even if the recipient does not have the Google Pay app. There’s a neat in-app messaging function, so you can let your friends know immediately that you’ve transferred money to them and what it is for (i.e. that $32.50 for dinner last night)

The Google Pay Singapore app is secure — it uses encryption, machine learning and 24/7 fraud detection to help keep your account safe.

 

OCBC Bank customers get first dibs on this Google Pay and PayNow link-up

I’m glad that I am an OCBC Bank customer, because I can be one of the first to try out this Google Pay x PayNow link-up! 

OCBC Bank customers are the first in Southeast Asia to have the power of peer-to-peer payments via Google Pay (through PayNow) — third in the world aside from the United States and India.

So yay to the bragging rights of being amongst the first. Those early-adopters among us will surely be jumping for joy as well.

 

Instant P2P transactions via PayNow on the Google Pay app

With the Google Pay and PayNow link-up, OCBC Bank customers can now make instant peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions — just by linking their OCBC Bank’s current or savings accounts to the Google Pay app.

If you, like me, have a ton of apps in your already-bursting phone (and no space to download more), this link-up really helps to consolidate some apps.

Now, customers of OCBC Bank are able to send money to anyone in Singapore registered on PayNow with Google Pay, even if the recipient does not have the Google Pay app.

 

You get a higher daily transfer limit

The existing PayNow daily transfer limit is SGD5,000, and usually that’s enough for most of us. 

However, if you are somehow needing to move more than 5 grand a day, Google Pay’s P2P service has a daily transfer limit of SGD1,000 — AND IT STACKS with PayNow’s!

So, OCBC customers now effectively have a new daily transfer limit (PayNow and Google Pay’s P2P service) of SGD6,000.

 

Bonus: You can win prizes when you make transfers

1. Join OCBC Bank’s “Name Game’ contest
From 6 April to 24 May 2020, OCBC Bank customers stand a chance to win a Google Pixel 4™ smartphone (worth S$1,199) every week via a ‘name game’. Two letters of the alphabet will be announced on OCBC Bank’s Facebook/Instagram at the start of each week. If customers’ names contain both the letters released for that week, they will be in the running for a Google Pixel 4 smartphone, if they manage to clock the highest number of P2P transactions to unique recipients in that week.

2. Google Pay’s base scratch card offer
In addition, every transaction above S$10 to a unique recipient provides OCBC Bank customers with the opportunity to receive up to a maximum of 2 digital scratch cards a week inside the Google Pay Singapore app. Each scratch card allows you to earn up to S$30 cashback, and the cashback from scratch cards are sent directly to the user’s bank account that’s linked to PayNow.

 

How to get started with Google Pay Singapore and OCBC

1. Download the Google Pay Singapore app from Google Play Store  or the App Store
2. Enter your mobile number that is linked to PayNow. If you do not have one, you can register after signing up. 
3. Enter the one-time password sent to your mobile number and create a screen lock if you do not already have one. 
4. Click on your profile on the top right of the home screen
5. Select “Payment Methods”, followed by “Add Bank Account”

 

Get more details and download the Google Pay Singapore app here.

Android, Google Play, Google Pay and Pixel are trademarks of Google LLC.

How would this partnership make your life easier? Let us know in the comments below!