Al Salam Bank-Bahrain (ASBB), one of the pioneering Shari’a-compliant banks in Bahrain, has launched the country’s first Signature and Platinum contactless credit cards with Visa, a leader in digital payments.

The bank’s new Visa payWave contactless credit cards allow customers to pay by simply waving their card over a Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled card reader for quicker and easier payments in places where cardholders need to pay on the go, such as shopping outlets, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and more, said a statement from the firm.

In addition to earning free Gulf Air Miles on every BD spent locally or internationally, the card also allows easy access to a diverse selection of travel, dining, shopping, access to airport lounges around the world, travel insurance coverage amongst other benefits, it said.

Online payments are secure, with each transaction accompanied by a one-time password (OTP) that protects cardholders’ payment information, it added.

Anwar Murad, first deputy CEO of Al Salam Bank-Bahrain, said: “We are pleased to roll out Visa’s first Signature and Platinum contactless credit cards in the kingdom that will further enhance our customer’s experience with us whilst rewarding them for their loyalty.”

“The new contactless credit cards are in-line with our commitment to consistently deliver premium products to our valued clients with the finest banking services,” he said.

“The credit cards will focus at creating a new benchmark to help customers meet their lifestyle aspirations by taking advantage of our special rewards programme with Free Gulf Air Falconflyer loyalty miles and offering unmatched features that come equipped with a range of value added services including free real time SMS alerts on transactions made using the card, purchase protection insurance, extended warranty and secured wallet insurance,” he added.

Murad continued: “We will continue in leveraging the strengths of our strategic partnerships with Visa to deliver innovative and dynamic Shari’a-compliant products and services to meet the needs of our clients.”

Shashank Singh, general manager, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, Visa, said: “We are delighted to partner with Al Salam Bank-Bahrain to bring Visa payWave’s contactless payment technology to Bahrain.”

“Visa payWave works using the NFC technology which stands as an outstanding innovation in the digital payments industry. It allows cardholders to make their payment at contactless-ready POS simply by waving their cards, promising the swiftness and convenience of a faster method of payment,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service