Cash App has integrated with Google Play to offer more checkout options on Android devices.
The partnership, announced Thursday (July 18), is designed to help the companies engage with a range of consumers, particularly in the gaming space.
“We’re continuously expanding payment options on Google Play, and adding Cash App Pay is a significant step in giving users more choice and convenience while meeting their evolving payment preferences,” Pete Albers, director of retail and payments activation for Google Play, said in a news release.
The release cites figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showing that $3 trillion in yearly consumer spending happens outside the traditional financial system, meaning that younger shoppers are seeking alternative payment solutions like Cash App Pay — which lets consumers pay with their Cash App balance or linked debit card — when shopping.
“Next gen shoppers are demanding more choices at checkout, and we know they’re also looking for more ways to pay with their own money. This partnership not only empowers them to pay flexibly for the things they want, but it also marries two strong customer sets and maximizes their mobile utility,” said Tanuj Parikh, head of partnerships, Cash App and Afterpay at Block.
The partnership comes as the way people choose to pay for things at checkout continues to change, as PYMNTS wrote earlier this week.
For example, digital wallets are now the fastest-growing payment option in the United States, especially among younger consumers.
“Most Americans say they use digital wallets more often than traditional payment methods,” that report said. “Even more intriguing, consumers who use this payment method tend to spend more than nonusers. According to a new Worldpay report, the payment method will overtake debit cards in transaction value in North America for in-store payments by 2027.”
The popularity and payment values of these wallets make them a priority tool for businesses to integrate into their payment suites. Still, merchants have some catching up to do to keep up with this ongoing trend.
“Some notable stumbling blocks — including perceptions about security, complexity and legacy technology — are still holding many back,” PYMNTS wrote.
The news came the same day that Cash App said it was shutting down its U.K. business in mid-September, as it makes the U.S. a greater priority.