Google Pay, once overshadowed by Google Wallet in 2022, is set to bid farewell in the US on June 4, 2024, as part of Google’s effort to streamline payment apps.
The discontinuation leaves it active only in Singapore and India, catering to “unique needs in those countries,” according to a Google blog.
In this phase-out, Google will eliminate peer-to-peer payments, balance management, and “find offers and deals.” For the latter, users are directed to explore the new deals destination on Search. Despite the closure, users can still transfer their Google Pay (GPay) balance to a bank account through the Google Pay website post-June 4, 2024.
Google Wallet, now the predominant platform, boasts five times the users across 180 countries. Its versatility extends beyond payments, accommodating transport passes, state IDs, driver’s licenses, virtual car keys, and more.
Google’s payment journey has been intricate, evolving from Google Wallet in 2011 to Android Pay in 2015. The integration of Android Pay with Google Wallet in 2018 resulted in the rebranding of Google Pay.
The Google Wallet card, once part of the equation, met its end in 2016. Now, everything falls under the Google Wallet umbrella, unless there’s another change of plans from the tech giant.
