Mr. David Williamson reports

CIBC BRINGS INDUSTRY-LEADING MOBILE PAYMENTS APP TO ANDROID SMARTPHONES

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has expanded the CIBC mobile payments app to Android smart phones from Rogers. This means that hundreds of thousands of Canadians will now have the opportunity to start paying for everyday purchases using their phone.

The CIBC mobile payments app is now available for the Samsung Galaxy S3 smart phone and will expand to additional Android devices in the coming weeks. The app can be downloaded from Google Play. Contactless Visa or MasterCard credit card payments using the app are already accepted at thousands of retailers in Canada for purchases under $50. The CIBC mobile payments app offers a number of safeguards for clients making it as secure as the credit card they use today, including proven bank chip technology, optional user passwords and encryption to store credit card information in a secure component of the phone's SIM card.

"We are excited that more of our clients can now make everyday purchases at their favourite retailer simply by holding their Android device up to a contactless payment terminal," said David Williamson, senior executive vice-president and group head, retail and business banking for CIBC. "Since launching mobile payments in 2012, the No. 1 question from our clients has been about when they can use the app on their Android phones, which speaks to the importance of today's announcement."

In November, 2012, CIBC became the first bank in Canada to complete a mobile credit card transaction using an NFC-enabled smart phone.

Majority of Canadians 45 and under own a smart phone, many interested in mobile payments

A recent CIBC poll conducted by Harris/Decima found 68 per cent of Canadians between ages 18 to 44 say they own a smart phone and 46 per cent of these owners say they are interested in paying for everyday purchases using their smart phone.

"To understand the potential for mobile payments, you just have to look around at the number of Canadians who take their smart phone with them everywhere they go," noted Mr. Williamson. "Whether it's walking by the coffee shop on the way to work, or picking up a few items at the grocery store, Canadians always have their smart phone within reach, making it a convenient way to pay for everyday purchases.

"Giving Canadians the capability to bank on the go and make payments with their phone is rapidly becoming an important part of their relationship with their bank, and we will continue to invest in these services going forward."

Mr. Williamson noted that CIBC expected to roll out the CIBC mobile payments app to additional Android devices in the coming weeks, and announce further expansion plans in the months ahead.

* Each week, Harris/Decima interviews just over 1,000 Canadians through teleVox, the company's national telephone omnibus survey. These data were gathered in a sample of 2,004 Canadians between March 21 and April 2, 2013. A sample of this size has a national margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.