PrivatBank launches HCE-based mobile NFC payments service

Beating banks around the world to the punch, Ukraine's PrivatBank has launched a host card emulation-based mobile NFC payments service. The Liqpay app, now available in beta, works with NFC smartphones running on Android 4.4 KitKat, letting users register any MasterCard or Visa card in order to fund payments made with a tap of their phone at contactless terminals.