Join the contactless conversation

Last updated: 03 November 2016

Contactless

As regular readers of the blog already know by now, we’re excited about the potential of contactless technology. We think it’s more than just a payment method. It’s changing our lives for the better by making urban environments run more efficiently, speeding up queues and reducing hassle.

Our #MyNFCDay video series showed how people in cities across the world, such as Hong Kong, London and Chicago, are using contactless payments to travel, buy food and enhance their urban experience. And at Eurovision 2016, we highlighted how spectators at an event can use contactless tech like NFC-enabled wristbands to make instant purchases of snacks and merchandise. NFC is even expanding to include rings. At the Rio Olympics, a select group of athletes wore a special contactless ring on their finger, enabling instant payments with a single tap. Furthermore, thanks to a Gemalto solution, spectators at Euro 2016 were able to use Calypso ticketing bands to access public transport in Lille, ensuring travel to matches was as easy as possible.

Promisingly, the technology continues to expand. In Europe, countries like the UK and France are increasing flexibility for people by abolishing limits on transactions. In Sweden, the famous ABBA museum in Stockholm won’t even accept cash payments because they’re seen as being stuck in the past. Apple Pay recently launched in Japan, already a leading tech innovator. In 2015, one billion contactless cards were delivered in nearly 80 countries worldwide. You can find out more about just how popular a phenomenon contactless tech is becoming in our dedicated infographic.

We’re now encouraging more people around the world to get involved in the contactless conversation and tell us how they say the ‘contactless beep’ in their language. Whether you call it Tap, Blippa, Un gesto, Pipa, Skanna or αρακέντηση, we want to hear from you. Check out the video below to find out more about some of the leading contactless schemes internationally.


How do you feel contactless payments have changed your life over the last few years? Let us know by tweeting to us at @Gemalto. And make sure you let us know how you say ‘beep’ by joining our #ContactlessConversation.

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