Banks Clarify Google Pay Rules For Higher-Value Contactless Payments

Samuel Chua

13th January 2026 - 2 min read

Several Malaysian banks have announced updates to how contactless payments made via Google Pay are approved. Recent notices from Alliance Bank and Public Bank outline similar changes that affect transactions above the usual contactless threshold.

The updates take effect from 27 January 2026 and apply to Google Pay and Google Wallet users on Android devices.

Alliance Bank Sets Out How Google Pay Payments Are Approved

Alliance Bank Malaysia has revised its credit cardholder agreement to explain how Google Pay transactions are handled when payment amounts exceed RM250.

For physical cards, the existing rules remain unchanged. Contactless payments above RM250 still require verification at the terminal, either through a PIN or a signature.

For Google Pay transactions, this terminal-based verification does not apply. Instead, cardholders must unlock their Android device before completing the payment, with approval handled through the phone’s built-in security features. The revised terms will take effect from 27 January 2026.

Public Bank Removes PIN Requirement For Google Wallet Purchases

Public Bank has announced a similar update for its cardholders using Google Wallet. From 27 January 2026, contactless purchases of any amount can be completed without entering a card PIN, including transactions above RM250.

To complete each Google Wallet transaction, cardmembers are required to unlock their device. This ensures payments continue to be protected through device-level security, such as fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, or a device passcode.

The change applies specifically to Google Wallet transactions and does not affect payments made using physical cards.

What Shoppers Can Expect At Checkout

For Google Pay and Google Wallet users, the updates shift payment verification away from the terminal and onto the mobile device. This allows higher-value contactless purchases to be completed without switching to PIN entry or signature, while keeping security checks in place.

Physical cards continue to operate under existing rules, giving consumers the flexibility to choose how they pay depending on the situation.

Samuel Chua

Samuel writes about personal finance and financial news, focusing on how banking updates, policies, and promotions affect everyday money decisions. He enjoys making complicated financial topics easier to follow. Outside of writing, he spends his time watching TV shows and occasionally convincing himself he will only watch one episode.

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