UPDATED 16.06.16: Competing payment services from Samsung, Apple and Google are in a landgrab.

Samsung Pay launched in Australia and Singapore on 15 June and 16 June, respectively, the fifth and six countries where it has debuted after South Korea, US, China and Spain.

The South Korean vendor previously said it would launch in Singapore “as early as Q2 2016.”

“We are extremely excited that Samsung Pay is now available in Singapore. As the first market in Southeast Asia to roll out our mobile payment service, Singapore will pave the way for the region’s adoption of Samsung Pay,” said Stephen Suh, president, Samsung Electronics Singapore.  It will be supported locally at launch by Citibank. In Australia, it will be supported at launch by American Express and Citibank.

Apple launched its payment service in Singapore in April, although initially only for American Express cardholders. It has since broadened its reach to cardholders of other banks.

Apple Pay is available in a total of six markets: the US, UK, Canada, Australia , China and Singapore, so is holding a slender lead over its rivals, in terms of geographic coverage.

Rival Android Pay is only available in the US and UK.

There is a pattern to the respective players’ rollout strategy, with an overlap in certain markets. Countries are targeted for a number of reasons, including credit card usage, take up of contactless payment technology and penetration of Apple or Android smartphones.

Users in those markets where mobile payment is available who travel abroad can also use their Apple or Android smartphones to make contactless payments internationally.