German vendor Wirecard launched an NFC-based payments app in the UK which enables customers to use Apple Pay without needing to be the customer of a specific bank.

The app, which is called boon, deploys an automatic app-to-wallet integration via a prepaid account with a virtual MasterCard, which is issued by Wirecard Card Solutions. Users can top up their account via Faster Payments, debit or credit card.

The vendor describes boon, which it previously launched for Android smartphones, as “the easy, secure and private way to pay with Apple Pay”.

“With boon, Apple Pay can now be part of everyone’s life in the UK without being a customer of a specific bank”, said Markus Braun, CEO of Wirecard.

“Our aim is to take retail payments to the next level – through enhanced user-friendly payment experiences, leveraged by innovative, safe technology. boon is state-of-the art thanks to its usability and maximum security standards.”

Apple Pay was launched in the UK last summer. Leading banks and financial institutions already enable their account holders to pay via the payment service using virtual versions of their credit and debit cards.