How Union Bank and SinoPac are Bringing JCB to Google Pay

A new stage in mobile payments for Taiwanese consumers has come about thanks to a partnership between JCB, Union Bank of Taiwan and Bank SinoPac. 

From now on, JCB-branded credit cards issued by these two institutions will support JCB Contactless payments using Google Pay – the first time JCB has enabled this functionality outside Japan. 

The move reflects the growing demand for interoperable, secure and convenient digital payment solutions across Asia, as well as deepening partnerships between regional banks and global technology providers.

Expanding digital payment capabilities

According to the announcement from JCB, the new integration means that cardholders from Union Bank of Taiwan and Bank SinoPac can now simply tap their smartphones or compatible devices at merchants accepting JCB Contactless payments.

The integration with Google Pay builds on nearly three decades of collaboration.

JCB has been a partner to Bank SinoPac since 1998 and to Union Bank of Taiwan since 2000, enabling both institutions to issue JCB-branded credit cards to a substantial portion of the Taiwanese market.

Now, by joining forces with Google Pay, both banks are extending these services into the mobile payments space – meaning cardmembers will be able to make transactions securely through JCB Contactless, using authentication, encryption and fraud protection built into Google’s mobile payments infrastructure.

Taiwan’s cashless ambitions

Taiwan is steadily expanding its digital payments infrastructure as part of national financial modernisation goals. 

As part of the shift, local consumers have embraced QR-based wallets, mobile banking and contactless NFC payments across services including public transportation, retail and hospitality.

It’s not just consumers that are experiencing this shift. Enabling Google Pay access to JCB cards is both an innovation milestone and a competitive necessity for banks as the payments landscape continues to digitalise.

The feature will be available across a wide network of 71 million JCB-accepting merchants worldwide and can be used both in Taiwan as well as overseas.

Secure, seamless and scalable payments

As a "contactless mobile payment service available on Android smartphones and other compatible devices," Google Pay is further enabling payments capabilities for users by adding credit cards or other payment methods while also ensuring their information remains protected.

To use the service, consumers must have the Google Wallet app installed. 

On the JCB side, the company emphasises that its role as a contactless payment solution “enables cardmembers to complete payments simply” by tapping their JCB Contactless-enabled cards or smartphones with JCB Cards registered on compatible contactless terminals.

The collaboration with these partners forms part of the brand’s move to strengthen its regional footprint.

Founded in 1961, JCB is Japan’s only international payment brand and one of Asia’s leading card issuers and acquirers.  The company began its global expansion in 1981 and now serves more than 175 million cardmembers across Asia and beyond.

Partnerships with financial institutions are central to JCB’s strategy of scaling its merchant coverage through an alliance-based model. 

These relationships enable local banks to tailor JCB’s payment technologies for regional consumer preferences while also benefiting from access to global payment systems and standards.