Digital wallet card launches in Dundee

Dundee City Council is set to launch the sQuid eMoney service with the distribution of 38,000 cards in the local area.

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Unlike traditional plastic, the sQuid card does not require users to have a bank account, with credit loaded onto the card at terminals in retailers instead.

The card, intended to help avoid charges incurred by purchases under £10, is expected to be used for small items such as newspapers, food and taxi fares.

The programme organisers claim payments made by the card are quicker than debit and credit cards because the sQuid uses NFC (near field communications) technology, also referred to as wave and pay.

The scheme, run in partnership with the Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC) programme, is scheduled to go live by October.

The NEC has already issued 1.4 million cards to Scottish citizens and a further 140,000 card holders are expected to use the Dundee service.

In a statement, Dundee Council leader councillor Kevin Keenan said: "Dundee is embracing new technologies and we see smartcards and electronic money as a positive service for all."