Samsung Pay switched-on PayPal compatibility for US customers on its platform – a move which boosts the e-commerce giant’s ability to process transactions in physical retail stores.

The move was widely expected following an agreement announced in July 2017. The deal means users of Samsung Pay will be able to use credit from their PayPal accounts to pay for physical goods in retailers, in the same way as credit or debit cards issued by banks.

PayPal financial services director Jim Magats said the tie-up provided its customers with the ability to pay “almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card” as Samsung Pay is compatible with both NFC and Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technologies, which are typically used for in-store payments in the US.

The deal is similar in its scope to one the e-commerce company signed with Google for access to Android Pay in April 2017, prior to the latter’s rebrand as Google Pay.

Both agreements increase PayPal’s exposure to offline payments – placing the company in direct competition with established physical payment processors Mastercard and Visa.

In the original statement announcing the deal, PayPal and Samsung said the service would be rolled out in the US before being expanded to Samsung Pay’s other markets around the world.