If you’ve ever talked yourself out of a purchase while waiting for that one-time passcode, Google just took away your last line of defense. The company just announced new updates to Google Wallet and Google Pay that make buying things online significantly faster and easier.
Checking out online is about to get dangerously fast
The biggest update for everyday shoppers is direct checkout in Google Pay. It brings all the payment options stored in your Google Wallet directly to a retailer’s checkout page, working much like Apple Pay does. It’s available now for merchants using Airwallex and is coming soon to those using Adyen, with more partners planned globally.
Google has also overhauled its Secure Payment Authentication feature, which handles the extra security steps that often slow down online purchases. Previously, completing a transaction could require entering an OTP or getting redirected to a separate verification page. So the brief window that made you think twice before completing the transaction is now gone.
The updated feature replaces all of that with a simple biometric check. Google says testing showed authentication time dropped by 50% and purchase completion rates improved by 3%. The rollout begins in the UK and Poland with Visa, Checkout.com, Autopay, and Adyen in the coming months.
Google Wallet is coming to more countries with a smarter ID system
Google is also expanding digital ID support in Google Wallet to select EU member states this summer, following earlier launches in the UK and other countries.
Alongside this, Google is rolling out age verification through a new partnership with Sparkasse Bank in Europe. Sparkasse customers will be able to confirm their age through Google Wallet without revealing personal details like their name, address, or date of birth. Google says it plans to bring this capability to more issuers in the future.
Google Wallet is also evolving in other ways by letting you share your digital car key with custom permission levels, giving different people different levels of access to your vehicle.