New Zealand is a market where cards and digital wallets have become the standard for online payments, and many users register cards issued by major banks such as ANZ, ASB, BNZ, and Westpac on their Apple devices. Apple Pay uses a tokenized number stored on the device instead of the actual card number and authorizes payment through Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication, which significantly reduces the input steps required for both Safari web payments and in-app payments.

For direct-to-consumer sites, subscription services, and app-based commerce with a high share of mobile traffic, the effect on reducing payment drop-off is clear. This is especially true for merchants with a large share of guest checkouts, where Apple Pay's ability to complete a purchase without entering a card number is an advantage for first-purchase conversion.

When a consumer selects Apple Pay at checkout, the tokenized card stored on the device is invoked, and the transaction is completed once approved through biometric authentication. The underlying card transaction is processed according to the issuing bank's online authentication policy (such as 3-D Secure), and Hecto Financial receives the NZD payment and converts it before settling in the currency agreed in the merchant contract.

Merchants in Korea can consider introducing Apple Pay web and in-app payments through integration with Hecto Financial, without a separate local contract in New Zealand. The actual scope of support, along with fees and currency options, varies by industry and transaction volume, so it must be confirmed before signing a contract.

• Country of business registration

  Confirm contract eligibility for businesses registered in Korea

• Sales channels

  The integration method and priority vary depending on your online sales channel mix, such as direct-to-consumer sites, open marketplaces, and mobile apps

• Product categories handled

  You must confirm in advance whether your products fall under a category restricted by Apple Pay's merchant policies

• Compliance with local regulations

  You must confirm compliance with New Zealand's payment and foreign exchange regulations (under the jurisdiction of the RBNZ and FMA) (see official sources below)

Payments are made in NZD, but settlement is not in NZD. Hecto Financial receives NZD, converts it, and pays out in USD, KRW, or JPY as selected in the contract, and refunds are returned to the original tokenized card used for the transaction. Since New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) broadly recognizes refund claims for defective products, it is advisable to clearly state the expected refund processing time on your customer information page.

• Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ), Financial Markets Authority (FMA)Official information on New Zealand's payment systems and financial market regulations. If this page's content differs from the actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.