We seem to always be growing more dependent on our mobile phones, from communication to wellness to entertainment. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked in on the latest practical convenience your device can add to day-to-day necessities like managing your financial life, your digital wallet powered by Bank With United mobile app is an excellent place to start.

A digital wallet is a service that lives in an app on your smartphone, smartwatch, or other digital device. With your credit or debit card linked to a digital wallet that’s utilizing a mobile payment service, you can pay for goods and services without having the actual card in hand. Among the most popular mobile payment services that link your digital wallet to millions of checkout terminals nationwide are: Apple Pay®, Google Pay™ and Samsung Pay®.

Your digital wallet also can store much of the same (sometimes bulky) information your actual wallet holds, including membership, loyalty club, and gift cards, as well as event tickets and transportation passes. You can add your United Bank cards to your digital wallet, or pay from them directly using the Mobile Wallet feature within the Bank With United mobile banking app. It’s a great way to lighten your load and ease your mind on the go. 

One of the biggest benefits of a digital wallet and mobile payments is convenience. Plus, by allowing you to leave your wallet at home and make contact-free purchases instead, a digital wallet eliminates the need to carry cash and identification and increases your personal safety all around.

You can quickly and easily pay for goods and services using your digital wallet, with functionality enabled by mobile payment services that wirelessly link your digital wallet to the checkout terminals found at millions of grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and other retailers nationwide. These payment terminals use a technology called “near-field communication” (NFC), which allows digital wallet users to simply tap or wave their device on or near the terminal, and then be on their way. The funds are digitally deducted from your linked bank accounts or charged to your linked credit card.

Another way that digital wallets can make payments more secure than using conventional credit cards, debit cards, or cash is because the credit or debit card info that’s linked to a digital wallet isn’t actually stored on your device. Instead, a device-specific number and unique transaction code are assigned to each device and transaction. 

As a result, when payments are made using a digital wallet, your credit card number is never shared with merchants. And with two-factor authentication that requires either Touch ID, Face ID, or even just entering a simple PIN to unlock your phone, your digital wallet remains protected even if your phone is lost or stolen.