Rumor: Apple Pay to launch in Belgium on Wednesday, German support to come online before end of 2018

Apple Pay is rumored to launch in Belgium in the near future, with customers of major bank BNP Paribas Fortis potentially able to start using Apple’s mobile payment system as early as this morning.
BNP Paribas Fortis is reportedly preparing to demonstrate the service to the media on Wednesday. Sources of De Tijd advise the bank’s customers will be the first to gain access to the payment platform, and it is likely consumers will be able to start using it at the same time as the demonstrations.
It’s thought that Apple Pay will be limited to BNP Paribas Fortis’ Visa and Mastercard customers, alongside subsidiaries Hello Bank and Fintro, at launch. Customers of other banks are likely to have to wait several months before Apple Pay is made available at other financial institutions.

It’s unknown as to whether Apple Pay Cash will also launch at the same time within Belgium.
The Belgian launch is thought to be followed by a similar launch in Germany, which has stated that this would occur before the end of 2018. The German economy, which is considered the largest in continental Europe, would mark a significant feather in Apple’s cap, and fill a noted hole in Apple Pay’s European presence, as negotiations between Apple and German financial institutions, especially over transaction fees, have been taking place for some time now.
The gradual rollout in Europe has also been hampered by allegations of collusion between banks in Switzerland actively boycotting Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, in favor of supporting national payment system TWINT. Five financial institutions are currently under investigation by the Swiss competition commission COMCO over the matter.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and De Tijd