RBC and McDonald's bring first NFC mobile debit transaction to Canada with a BlackBerry smartphone

First Interac Flash™ debit transactions made from a mobile phone

RBC and McDonald’s support a Canadian first from Interac®

TORONTO, ON (March 27, 2013) – Today marked the successful completion of the first Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile debit transactions in Canada, and among the first globally from a domestic debit network. Holding their mobile phones in front of an InteracFlash point-of-sale terminal at a McDonald’s restaurant, participants demonstrated how this new mobile payment option will work, paying for menu items securely and immediately using funds deducted directly from their RBC Royal Bank account. Mobile Interac Flash brings Interac Flash, Canada’s first and only contactless debit payment, to the mobile payments space.

“This achievement in mobile debit innovation helps solidify our role in the mobile payments space in Canada,” said Mark O’Connell, President and CEO, Interac Association and Acxsys Corporation. “Soon, Canadians will be able to use their mobile phones to pay with Interac Flash quickly, conveniently and securely when making everyday purchases – bringing added value not only to consumers, but also to the merchant community and our partner financial institutions.”

Today’s transactions used BlackBerry® smart phones, equipped with NFC functionality and an Interac Flash application, to make contactless debit transactions at a Toronto area McDonald’s restaurant. The Interac Flash application securely communicated the financial information to complete the contactless debit transaction in real time.

This achievement in mobile innovation was accomplished in partnership with McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, the participating merchant, RBC Royal Bank, the participating financial institution, Moneris Solutions, the payment service provider facilitating the transactions, and BlackBerry, the mobile device provider.

Recognizing the value of this innovative product enhancement, RBC Royal Bank will be providing their customers with the speed, convenience and security of mobile Interac Flash when it comes to market, anticipated later this year. This announcement coincides with RBC’s decision to include all Interac Flash transactions as free debit transactions for personal banking accounts, a decision Interac Association/Acxsys Corporation applauds.

“This free mobile debit option will benefit both our clients and our merchants. RBC clients will be able to use their mobile devices to make debit payments when and where they wish to make them – and then to immediately check their online bank balance from those same devices,” explained Dave McKay, Group Head, Personal and Commercial Banking, RBC Royal Bank. "We know merchants want fast, secure and low-cost transactions and that is exactly what Interac Flash helps ensure.”   

The successful transactions that have taken place today set the stage for a roll out of mobile Interac Flash in the coming year.

“We’re pleased to offer our customers new and convenient payment options like mobile Interac Flash,” said Dave Hederson, Senior Vice President & CFO, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited. “As our customers’ purchasing needs and preferences continue to evolve, we are committed to providing them with relevant ways to interact with us as their favourite place to eat and drink.”  

“We help our merchants, such as McDonald’s, enable innovative and economical payment solutions, which is why we are thrilled to help facilitate today’s first mobile Interac Flash transaction,” said Jeff Guthrie, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Moneris Solutions Corporation.

“We are excited to be part of the first debit transaction in Canada using NFC, and we continue to work with partners to give customers the convenience, confidence, and choice to pay with any type of card,” added Frank Maduri, Senior Director, Product Management, NFC, Mobile Payments and Mobile Wallets at BlackBerry.

“As one of the first Canadian banks to introduce mobile banking and add Interac Flash to debit cards, we congratulate Interac on this development in mobile payments,” said Brian McCabe, Scotiabank Vice President of Day-to-Day Banking. “Today’s announcement is an important step in mobile payment technology, and at Scotiabank we look forward to giving our customers more options when making purchases in the near future.”