The Merchant's Guide to Contactless Payments

IN-PERSON PAYMENTS ARE GETTING FASTER

Contactless chip payments can help get your consumers through lines more quickly with a simple tap of a contactless card, mobile device or smart watch. Your terminal may already be capable of accepting contactless payments!

Why get contactless?
Ready to get started?
What else to consider?

Why get contactless?

Offering customers the choice to tap with faster contactless cards or mobile wallets shows them you care about their time and security, and can mean shorter lines and more sales for you. Tapping to make a payment takes only a few seconds and the technology is backed by the same strong security as contact chip cards.

Ready to start accepting contactless payments?

Contactless payments can be helpful for merchant segments that require speedy payments. Many payment terminals are already capable of accepting contactless payments! Contact your acquirer or payment services provider and ask them about considerations and steps in accepting contactless payments.

What else should you consider when accepting contactless payments?

Your terminal screen and signage can help alert customers that you accept contactless payments. You’ll also want to train your employees on how to help your customers tap to make a payment.

Get signage best practices

More Questions?

Want to take a deeper dive into contact and contactless chip payments? Visit these resources.

EMV-Connection.com
USPaymentsForum.org
Contactless POS Best Practices

Getcontactless.com was developed by the U.S. Payments Forum to help merchants get started accepting contactless payments. The U.S. Payments Forum, a cross-industry body representing all segments of the payments industry, is focused on supporting the introduction and implementation of new and emerging payments technologies in the U.S. This website is part of the Forum’s ongoing efforts to provide timely and simple educational resources for the industry at large.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Merchant Guide to Contactless Payments

Contactless payments get consumers through lines more quickly with the simple tap of a contactless chip card, mobile device or wearable. Contactless payments are just as secure as EMV chip payments! Most chip terminals today come with the ability to accept contactless payments. Read the FAQ below to learn more.

What are contactless payments?
Contactless payments are in-person payments made with contactless chip cards, smart phones and/or wearables that do not require physical contact between the device and the point of sale (POS) terminal. Consumers simply hold their payment device close (1-2 inches) to the terminal and the payment is processed wirelessly in a few seconds.
What types of devices can make contactless payments?
A contactless payment can be made on any contactless-enabled device including contactless chip cards, and smartphones or wearables with mobile wallets. Contactless-enabled devices use the same technology to communicate with the terminal – Near Field Communication (NFC) – so if your terminal accepts one type of contactless payment, all types are accepted. Some common mobile wallets include Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
How do I know if my business or other businesses accept contactless payments?
Businesses that accept contactless payments may have the EMVCo Contactless Indicator on a checkout terminal and/or the EMVCo Contactless Symbol on their POS terminal screen. Some businesses also choose to show other contactless payments acceptance logos such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. If you aren’t sure if you accept contactless payments or want to get started accepting them, contact your acquirer or payment services provider.
I can only get Samsung contactless transactions to work – do I have contactless?
You might. Samsung supports NFC transactions and also another technology for contactless payments. Ask your acquirer or payment services provider for more information.
How do I know if a customer has a contactless card?
If a customer has a contactless card, the EMVCo Contactless Indicator will appear on either the front or the back of the card.
What type of merchants can accept contactless payments?
Contactless payments can be accepted for in-person payments across merchant types, including retail, hospitality (including including quick serve restaurants), transit, vending and wireless/mobile (i.e. anyone that needs to take payments on the go!).
What if my terminal doesn’t accept contactless payments?
Payment cards will still have a chip and a magnetic stripe on the back, so even if your terminal is not yet contactless-enabled, consumers can use their card as they do today. If you want to get started accepting contactless payments, contact your acquirer or payment services provider.
Are contactless payments as secure as contact chip card payments?
Yes, contactless payments are as secure as contact chip transactions. Every contactless transaction creates a unique one-time code to protect the payment information. If you want to learn more about contactless payment security, visit the complete FAQ created by the Secure Technology Alliance at https://www.securetechalliance.org/publications-contactless-payment-security-qa/.