As you buy items online and make payments, your money is transferred to the seller's bank account. You don't have to worry about carrying cash or using your debit card in person. But what if you could store your money in an app on your phone? A digital wallet is an app-based account that allows you to transfer and store money without using cash or cards. It works like a bank account, but it doesn't require any personal information beyond a username and password — plus it's way more convenient than going into a brick-and-mortar bank branch! In this post, we explore what digital wallets are, how they work and the types available.
What is a digital wallet?
A digital wallet is a software program or online payment tool that acts as the electronic equivalent of a physical wallet. It allows users to safely store digital copies of payment methods, such as credit and debit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency, boarding passes, event tickets, passwords, and coupons, to use on the go with their smartphones or smartwatches.
You can make purchases with a digital wallet in-person, online, or through a digital wallet app.
The best part about digital wallets? They’re free! Digital wallets are also known as e-wallets or mobile wallets because they provide you with an easy way to manage your money digitally—an alternative to carrying cash around in your pocket or purse.
How does a digital wallet work?
Digital wallets leverage a variety of technologies, including mobile apps, mobile hardware devices, near-field communication (NFC), and security techniques like tokenization to provide a user-friendly and presumably secure payment experience.
A user need to submit their card information into the digital wallet website or app in order to use it. Once the device is unlocked and the user has given permission to the wallet, the information is encrypted and the wallet is ready for usage. The user needs to hold their smartphone close to the contactless terminal in order to perform a mobile payment.
Who needs a digital wallet?
Digital wallets are for everyone, regardless of age, gender or background. They can help you get more out of your everyday life. Here are some examples of ways in which they can be utilized:
Digital wallets make it easier to learn new things. You can store all kinds of information in them, like recipes or important dates in history that you might need to remember.
They allow you to share photos and videos with family members who live far away from you. This is especially great when it comes time for the holidays!
If someone sends you a gift card through their digital wallet, it will be automatically added to yours so that no matter where they send their gift cards from (Amazon, Target, or Walmart), they'll always be available for use on any device with an internet connection.
Types of digital wallets
There are different types of digital wallets. The following are the most common options:
Open Wallets: Online payment information management and tracking is possible with open wallets. An open wallet can be downloaded to any device or browser with an internet connection and function as simple online applications. Users with open wallets can conduct transactions at any time and from any location, and they work with all platforms.
Semi-Closed Wallets: Users can conduct transactions at the businesses and locations specified with a semi-closed wallet. For security reasons, the payment information is kept in one place, but before conducting a transaction, a user might have to provide someone else access to a key or a password. Multiple public addresses are stored in a semi-closed wallet, which also keeps private keys offline.
Closed Wallets: Only select people are authorized to use this kind of wallet. A business that sells goods and services, for instance, may create a closed wallet solely for its clients. Users can only conduct transactions with the wallet's issuer, and the money from refunds and cancellations is stored in this wallet. An a good example of this kind of wallet is Amazon Pay.
Examples of digital wallets
Google Pay
Apple Pay
Samsung Pay
Microsoft Wallet
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you learn more about digital wallets and how you can start using them today in your business.
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