Piraeus Bank will enable more than 50,000 merchants in Greece to accept UnionPay QuickPass [contactless] payments with UnionPay cards and mobile phones by the end of this year. The operational POS terminals will support small-sum payments of less than 25 Euro without the need for PIN entry and signature, providing customers with quick, easy and safe spending. This service will be available at department stores, airport duty-free shops, Michelin-starred restaurants as well as restaurants and souvenir shops in Athens and Santorini.

Piraeus Bank is at the forefront of digitalization in retail banking. Subsequent to the introduction of direct flights from Beijing to Athens, Piraeus Bank recognized the need for Chinese visitors to Greece to be able to access quick and easy ways to pay at popular spots across the capital and the islands. According to the Greek-Chinese Economic Council, the gradual increase in the number of flights from China will allow up to 1.5 million Chinese to visit Greece annually, within the next five years.

Commenting on the joint-venture with UnionPay, Ioannis Grammatikos, Assistant General Manager at Piraeus Bank said: “We take pride in leading the contactless experience in Greece and we are delighted to be working with UnionPay to bring QuickPass and contactless payments for QuickPass customers to Southern Europe for the first time.”