After the pandemic, Canadians increasingly started to rely on contactless payments for transactions at stores and malls. Our smartphones are reshaping how we connect personally and professionally, and especially how we interact with online services.
In recent years, we’ve embraced using mobile devices for various financial tasks, especially making and receiving payments. As smartphones evolve, numerous apps offer businesses and individuals convenient ways to exchange payments.
In 2017, Payments Canada released a report titled “Canadian Payment Methods and Trends,” revealing a substantial surge in contactless transactions. In 2016 alone, nearly 2.1 billion transactions, totaling $67.1 billion, were recorded. This signifies an impressive 81% increase in volume and a substantial 78% increase in value compared to 2015. Today, in 2023, the number of people sending and receiving money via apps in Canada has increased even more, and more online merchants started relying on modern mobile payments instead of slow banking transactions.
Features to Look for in a Mobile Payment App for Gaming
In the quest for the ideal payment service app, it’s better to outline the features you want to see in the app you use. While exploring different payment apps for daily tasks or gaming, pay attention to those offering key features like:
- Cross-Platform Capabilities: Avoid apps that can only interact with specific or branded software
- Security: Choose financial protection via encryption and cybersecurity measures
- Easy-to-use Interface: Give preference to intuitive dashboards and straightforward functionality
- QR Code Capabilities: QR codes are fast and secure to use
- Cloud Integration: Most financial apps use cloud technology for convenient transactions
Trustly Mobile Payment
Trustly is a digital payment provider that offers a seamless payment service to securely pay directly from users’ bank accounts. In contrast to many other services and apps, Trustly doesn’t require registration. One just has to choose Trustly from the list of available services on the merchant’s payment page and send the money. Trustly doesn’t directly store your money but adds a security layer to your payments.
Trustly employs top-tier encryption and the bank’s security so it’s safe. Also, no fees are applied to users because merchants cover all charges. Many merchants like Trustly casinos in Canada add it to their payment methods lists due to its convenience and most importantly, compliance with the local banking system.
Trustly in Canada can be used on a range of online platforms, including the following:
- Online casinos gambling
- Video gaming
- Mobile gaming
- Financial services
- Travel
- e-Commerce
Typically, money transfers via Trustly take about 0–2 business days. The duration can vary based on the originating bank, as certain banks may impose limits on the instant transfer of funds through Trustly.
MuchBetter Mobile E-Wallet
MuchBetter mobile e-wallet works well for both deposits and withdrawals on your preferred online gaming platforms and on many other online merchants’ platforms. It is very gambling and gaming-friendly and provides effortless management of your gaming accounts.
If you pay for gaming via your MuchBetter app, there are exclusive time-sensitive offers personalized to your gaming patterns waiting for you.
MuchBetter Wallet is recommended for seamless topping up, withdrawing, sending, and safekeeping of your funds, and applies minimal fees.
MuchBetter ensures full protection for your information with multiple measures like:
- Touch ID
- Device pairing
- Dynamic security codes
- A transaction review system
There are several ways to request the withdrawal of funds from elsewhere to your MuchBetter e-wallet account, such as:
- SEPA bank transfers
- Interac e-transfer
- Bitcoin
- Wire transfers
- ATMs
Place your withdrawal request via the app, and simply indicate your banking details. Wait for your funds to land in your MuchBetter balance within 1-5 business days.
Apple Pay Canada
While it took ApplePay time to integrate with Canadian banks (released in 2011, fully accessible only in 2016), it now partners with national and provincial financial institutions. Using tokenization for security, it ensures your banking details remain off your phone. For added security, ApplePay requires a face or fingerprint ID before processing payments.
The app seamlessly works at most contactless terminals and major retailers across Canada. It can be used for paying for your games and gaming activities but you cannot withdraw money from online merchants to your wallet.
Google Pay Mobile Payment App
As the Android counterpart to Apple Pay, Google Pay enjoys widespread popularity in Canada, and the fact that it can be freely used on any Android device and even iOS device (compared to iOS-exclusive ApplePay) makes it even more widespread.
Google Pay seamlessly syncs with most credit and debit cards from Canadian financial institutions. Unlike Apple Pay, it skips the additional step of face or fingerprint ID, and similar to Apple Pay, Google Pay supports Canadian credit and debit cards, along with loyalty cards, tickets, and boarding passes.
The bad news is that you cannot withdraw any funds from gaming platforms, mobile games, or online casinos to your Google Pay account.
Are Mobile Payments Safe?
While some older Canadians may still have fears about online or mobile banking security, the reality is that mobile payments offer an equally secure alternative to traditional credit card transactions.
Customer data is protected through a system called tokenization, basically, the same way credit and debit card information is secured. This process substitutes confidential financial data with a randomly generated unique number (a token). This token conceals sensitive information and only gets “decoded” into your banking details when securely processed by a financial service provider. Your app service provider and merchants never access your actual banking data.
