City Bank Hints at Apple Pay Launch Following Google Pay Debut
At the official launch of Google Pay in Bangladesh, City Bank announced its aspiration to bring Apple Pay to the country in the near future. The bank’s Managing Director and CEO, Masrur Arefin, expressed this ambition during the inaugural ceremony held on the morning of June 23 at The Westin Hotel in Dhaka.
The event marked the formal launch of Google Pay in Bangladesh, with Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur inaugurating the service. Representatives from three major U.S.-based fintech giants—Google, Visa, and Mastercard—were present at the event.
Speaking at the occasion, Masrur Arefin stated that City Bank not only envisions bringing Apple Pay to Bangladesh but also hopes to introduce the service within the mobile financial services (MFS) ecosystem soon.
June Fay, a representative from the U.S. Embassy’s Commercial Affairs Division, noted that the introduction of such digital payment platforms will play a pivotal role in "curbing financial corruption."
Among the special guests at the ceremony were Tracy N. Jacobson, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, and Hossain Khaled, Vice Chairman of City Bank. Also present were Shammi Khuddus, Group Product Manager at Google Payments, Mohammad Kamal, Country Manager of Mastercard Bangladesh, along with other senior officials.
The launch of Google Pay and the anticipated arrival of Apple Pay are seen as significant milestones for Bangladesh’s evolving digital financial landscape.
