Getting Started with Digital Wallets
Leaving your physical leather wallet at home is becoming incredibly common now that smartphone technology handles everyday transactions. For Bankwest customers, setting up mobile pay means you can complete purchases at checkout terminals by simply waking up your device and holding it near the contactless reader.
In most cases, you can link your Bankwest Visa debit or Mastercard credit cards to major platform wallets including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. This functionality is supported across personal accounts, providing a secure alternative to plastic cards without adding any extra transaction overhead or management costs to your daily banking routine.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Supported Methods | Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay via the Bankwest App |
| Processing Time | Digital card generation and wallet linking take a few minutes |
| Eligibility | Active Bankwest debit or credit card holders aged 13 or older |
| Key Requirements | A smartphone with NFC enabled and a verified mobile number |
Set Up Your Wallet in 3 Steps
Step 1: Download the application
Find and download the Google Wallet App on Google Play™. On many modern phones, this service is already pre-installed, so you can simply locate and open it.
Step 2: Add your payment card
Open the app, scan your physical card using your phone's camera, and follow the on-screen instructions. Alternatively, you can type in your card details manually.
Step 3: Get started
To make a payment, just unlock your smartphone and hold it near the contactless terminal. It is a simple, secure, and highly convenient way to pay.
Once your setup is complete, you are ready to make purchases anywhere you see the contactless symbol or the Google Wallet logo.
How to Pay and Return Purchases
Pay In-Store
Wake your phone screen and place it near the contactless terminal, just like you would normally do with a plastic card. Keep in mind that if your transaction is more than $100, the terminal may prompt you to enter your card's PIN for verification.
Pay Online
When shopping inside applications or on websites, you do not need to type in your card details every time. During checkout, simply look for the "Buy with Google Wallet" button to complete your purchase.
Troubleshooting Mobile Wallet Failures
If you're standing at a busy supermarket counter and your phone refuses to process the payment, here is how you can handle the situation:
- MFA / Verification code delays: When linking your card for the first time, the activation SMS might not show up. This usually happens when mobile networks are congested or your local signal is drop-making. Try moving closer to a window or outside to catch a stronger network link, and wait 60 seconds before requesting a new text. If it still doesn't arrive, you'll need to call support to confirm your registered details.
- Terminal connection errors: Sometimes you hold your phone to the EFTPOS terminal and nothing happens, or the machine throws an error. This is typically caused by your phone's NFC chip falling out of alignment with the machine's reader, or a thick protective phone case blocking the radio signal. Try removing your phone case and holding the top portion of your device directly against the contactless symbol on the shop terminal.
- Locked wallet access: If your phone's biometric sensor misreads your face or thumbprint several times in a row, the wallet will lock itself for security, preventing any tap transactions. You won't be able to pay by simply tapping. You'll need to enter your phone's main device passcode to clear the security hold, or open the Bankwest app directly to verify that your card status isn't marked as blocked.
Pro-Tip: If your physical debit card is ever lost or stolen, don't worry about being left stranded without money while waiting for the new plastic to arrive in the post. When you report the card as lost inside the app, the bank's system can usually update your digital wallet details with your new card number within an hour, allowing you to keep buying fuel and groceries with your phone while the physical card is still in transit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my tap payment decline when I have plenty of cash in my account?
Imagine you are trying to buy a $150 grocery haul, you tap your phone, and the screen says transaction declined even though you checked your balance a minute ago. In most cases, this happens because you've hit your daily digital spending cap or your phone's wallet requires an extra layer of identity verification for higher amounts. For transactions over $200, the terminal banking logic often forces you to enter your physical card's PIN into the merchant's keypad, or requires you to unlock your phone using a full passcode rather than a simple fingerprint scan. Your best next step is to unlock your device completely and retry the payment, or use the app to check if you have hit your daily transaction limits.
Can I use mobile pay if I am traveling overseas?
You might be wandering through Tokyo or London and want to buy a train ticket using your phone. Your mobile pay will generally work anywhere in the world that displays the contactless payment wave symbol. However, depending on the type of Bankwest account you have, currency conversion fees can surprise you. While the premium Platinum cards waive international transaction costs, standard accounts will incur a 2.95% foreign transaction fee on the converted Australian dollar amount. To manage this safely, check your account terms before you board your flight and make sure you have international roaming turned on to receive any unusual fraud alerts from Bankwest.
What happens to my mobile pay if I delete the bank app?
Say you are running out of storage space on your smartphone and decide to clear out some applications, including your banking portal. Removing the Bankwest app from your phone won't actually delete your card from your Apple or Google Wallet. This happens because the digital card token is stored directly inside your phone's secure operating hardware, independent of the bank's software. The limitation here is that you won't be able to easily change your card settings or view your current balances. If you want to stop mobile payments completely, you'll need to open your device's native wallet app, tap on the card image, and manually select the option to delete the card from your digital profile.
