Google Wallet, what can you actually do with Google Pay in Bangladesh and Abroad?

Google Wallet, Currently, only the tap-to-pay facility is unlocked for POS transactions among Google Pay’s facilities in Bangladesh. Online shopping is not available, it is only NFC-enabled POS Transaction.

Only if you have a City Bank card, you can download the Google Wallet app and add that card to take advantage of near-field communication (NFC) payments through Google Pay.

There was some confusion about whether Google Pay or Google Wallet service has been launched in Bangladesh through City Bank.

Tauhidul Alam, head of cards, City Bank PLC, told Dhaka Tribune: “Google Pay and Google Wallet have several services, such as fund transfer, QR, purchase, etc. Among them, the payment service initially started in Bangladesh by adding a City Bank card to Google Wallet.”

Google Wallet is the app where users can securely store/add cards. Once a City Bank card is added to the wallet, the customer can make NFC based tap-to-pay transactions using Google Pay technology at compatible terminals worldwide.

Under this, the Google Pay payment part will now work through POS machines where NFC service is available, both in the country and abroad, he explained.

“You download the Google Wallet app and add cards to pay with GPay,” he added.

He also said that fund transfer will not be possible for now.

Insiders said that if Google Pay’s full function had been launched, it could have revolutionized the digital payment ecosystem in Bangladesh.

For example, payment in stores by scanning QR codes, sending money to mobile numbers, real-time bank transfers like UPI, and easy payments for online purchases would have been game changers.

But in the current capacity of Google Pay in Bangladesh, users can only pay via NFC by adding a City Bank card at certain places (where Google Wallet is accepted).

Google Wallet is a digital wallet for securely storing payment cards, passes, tickets, and IDs, while Google Pay is the service for making payments, both online and in-store, using the payment methods stored in Google Wallet or directly in Google Pay.

Essentially, Google Wallet is where you keep your digital items, and Google Pay is how you use those items to pay.

Bankers believe that if Google Pay gradually opens all its benefits and other banks join it, it could have a major impact on the debit and credit card market in Bangladesh.

However, according to Bangladesh Bank’s latest data, Bangladeshis increased their credit card spending within the country by Tk787.4 crore, or 27%, in March this year compared to February, amid the ongoing inflationary pressure.

Consumers spent Tk3,755.7 crore using credit cards domestically in March 2025, up from Tk2,968.3 crore in the previous month.