Apple Pay launched in Brazil after a tie-up with Itau Unibanco – one of the largest banks in the world.

The selection of Brazil as its first market in the Latin American region echoes moves from Google, which launched Android Pay there in November 2017. Rival Samsung Pay has been present in Brazil since July 2016.

The release marks the 27th market Apple introduced the service into since its 2014 US launch – including countries, principalities, dependents and self-governing states. Countries with the service available include Australia, China, France, Spain and the UK.

Apple’s previous four new markets – UAE, Denmark, Finland and Sweden – were announced together in October 2017.

Although Apple CEO Tim Cook regularly talks up the prospects and progress of the company’s payment system, he has also gone on record several times in the last year bemoaning the slow rate of uptake for mobile payments in many countries.