Kenyan banks, Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) and Premier Bank Kenya, are reviving the concept of effortless tap-and-pay transactions with new NFC-powered wearables, a decade after Safaricom's initial attempt with M-PESA 1Tap.

• Both banks are offering NFC wearables, such as rings and bands, for contactless payments, a concept previously explored by Safaricom.
• DTB offers silicone bands for KES 1,200, ceroxy rings for KES 2,400, and ceramic rings for KES 2,900, allowing up to eight wearables per account.
• Premier Bank Kenya provides a wider variety of form factors but limits users to three wearables per card, with transaction limits varying by card type.

Apple has launched its Tap to Pay on iPhone feature in Malaysia, allowing iPhones to act as merchant payment terminals. This expansion brings the service to over 50 countries globally, but Kenya remains absent from the list.

• The technology enables merchants to accept contactless payments directly on their iPhone 11 or later without additional hardware.
• Key organizations involved include Apple, payment providers like Stripe and Zoho, and card networks like Visa and Mastercard.
• Kenya's exclusion is attributed to the non-availability of Apple Pay locally and the dominance of mobile money platforms like M-Pesa over card payments.

Safaricom has released an update, version 5.1.5, for its My OneApp, bringing back the popular "Favourites" tab and improving navigation.

• The "Favourites" tab allows users to save and quickly access frequently used contacts for faster repeat transactions.
• This update comes in response to significant user feedback and previous user outcry over the feature's removal.
• Safaricom also enhanced the "Frequents" section, simplifying access to the most-used apps within My OneApp.