An app that allows you to pay for fuel without a credit card

Apps are really trendy. Thousands of apps are launched every month in order to try to make our lives easier, more practical. For several years now, it has been possible to pay our daily purchases using a smartphone.

It seems filling the tank of your car is no exception in this regard. Since last week, one is able to pay for fuel with a smartphone app. What’s the point of such a plan?

Belfius, together with the Lukoil fuel stations, have cooperated with Carpay Diem, a Luxembourgish start-up which has developed a smart software to activate a fuel pump and pay from the vehicle. When you arrive at the service station, you should open the app, which will localise you. Then, you should select the pump you aim to use, before you fill up your tank. Then, a proof of payment appears on your smartphone. In other words, no need to use any credit card, as the app will record everything.

This is the first step and you at this point you can’t use any app in any service station. Belfius, as of today, is the only bank app you can use for such a purpose, and only at the Lukoil stations. It seems that competitors are flocking in, however. Colruyt has launched a similar software last week, which is focused on its own fuel stations.