Wells Fargo today has deployed card-free access to all 13,000 of its ATMs in the United States, while also announcing that transactions through NFC-enabled mobile wallets -- including Apple Pay -- will launch later this year. Customers will be able to make NFC withdrawals with Apple Pay, Wells Fargo Wallet, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay through a simple NFC-enabled tap and PIN authentication when the feature launches sometime in 2017.

wells fargo apple pay
Launching today, however, is Wells Fargo's new One-Time Access Code feature, which lets customers authenticate at an ATM by entering an 8-digit code along with their debit or ATM card PIN, all without needing their physical card. To do so customers will log into the Wells Fargo app and choose "Card-Free ATM access" within Account Services to receive their 8-digit access code. After entering the code and their PIN, the company said that the ATM transaction process is the same as when using a physical card.

“At Wells Fargo, we believe the future is cardless, and the launch of One-Time Access Code provides our 20 million mobile banking customers another convenient way to manage money,” said Brett Pitts, head of digital for Virtual Channels. “This new ATM feature exemplifies Wells Fargo’s commitment to innovation.”

In addition to One-Time Access Code, later this year customers will be able to initiate a cardless ATM transaction with the “tap and pay” technology in an NFC-enabled smartphone. When this feature is live, a customer will be able to initiate a transaction by signing into a leading mobile wallet (Wells Fargo Wallet, Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay), and holding the phone near an NFC-enabled ATM terminal. Once authenticated, the customer will input their debit or ATM card PIN and complete their transaction.

Apple Pay support at Wells Fargo and Bank of America ATMs has been reported on for well over a year, with Bank of America adding in NFC Apple Pay withdrawals to around 2,400 of its ATMs last summer. Wells Fargo today didn't mention a specific launch date for the debut of Apple Pay at its ATMs, but it did hint that the feature could launch on more than 5,000 of its machines in the U.S., which represent the number of its ATMs that are already NFC-enabled.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Top Rated Comments

avanpelt Avatar
91 months ago
Pretty slick. One step closer to not carrying plastic at all and it's also a great solution for circumventing card skimmers on the ATM.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smirking Avatar
91 months ago
If I ever used cash I would seriously think about switching banks.
Yeah, but Wells Fargo.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac 128 Avatar
91 months ago
If I ever used cash I would seriously think about switching banks.
I wouldn't. Closed my Wells Fargo account shortly after they were found to be illegally opening accounts without customer's permission. Can't do business with an unethical bank engaged in fraudulent activity -- especially when caught they throw their employees under the bus. I won't ever go back.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
91 months ago
Exactly. If my phone and thumbprint are secure enough to let me buy $100 worth of groceries at Trader Joes, they should be enough to let me get five $20s out of an ATM.
Of course, it'd be a lot easier to use a fake fingerprint at an ATM in the middle of the night, than to try to pass it off at Trader Joe's in front of everyone and then get stuck paying for groceries if it didn't work.

Heck, it'd also be easier to use a real stolen finger, for that matter :eek:. If ATMs took thumbprints instead of PINs, thieves in parts of the world would have a lot more incentive to take thumbs and maybe lives. (Chopped off fingers are good for up to an hour, and much longer if you use a syringe to inject moisture back into them.)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
91 months ago
Who cares if they do see it, it's one time use only. Although needing a PIN is annoying. Make it 10 digits and no PIN. Then you could at least email it to someone to use in a pinch.
Exactly. If my phone and thumbprint are secure enough to let me buy $100 worth of groceries at Trader Joes, they should be enough to let me get five $20s out of an ATM.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timborama Avatar
91 months ago
An interesting idea though... I like not needing to carry a card with me, but I'm not sure I can remember 8 digits (+ PIN) all day long -- and opening up the app risks other people snapping a picture of those 8 digits...
Who cares if they do see it, it's one time use only. Although needing a PIN is annoying. Make it 10 digits and no PIN. Then you could at least email it to someone to use in a pinch.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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