Look for a symbol resembling a Wi-Fi symbol on its side (four curved lines) printed on the front or back of your debit or credit card. Most new credit and debit cards come with this contactless capability by default. If the symbol is absent, contact your bank to request a contactless card.
How do I know if my card or device can make contactless payments? You'll see the Contactless Indicator on your card.
Understanding contactless cards
There is no need to swipe or insert. This type of transaction—often called “tap to pay” or “tap and go”—can be a quick and convenient way to pay. Not all credit cards are contactless, although most card issuers have made them the default type of card they issue.
In your bank's app, check your card settings.
Step-by-step instructions for activating tap to pay
To check whether your credit or debit card is contactless, look out for the symbol on the card. It's four lines, curved and increasing in size from left to right, on the front or back of your card. You might notice it's similar to the Wi-Fi symbol.
When a debit or credit card has the contactless feature, it can be tapped or held near a contactless-enabled merchant terminal. Encrypted card information is then sent using near field communication (NFC) technology between the card and the contactless reader on the terminal.
With your contactless credit or debit card
on your credit or debit card to know your card can make contactless payments. Contactless Visa card purchases are easier than ever as more retailers accept contactless payments around the world.
To determine if your credit card is contactless, look for the contactless symbol on either the front or back of the card. This symbol has four curved lines resembling radio waves. If you're still unsure, you can test it at a contactless payment terminal the next time you make a purchase.
Fraud Risks, Skimming, and Contactless Exploits
With the rise in contactless card payments, concerns around online payment fraud and skimming are growing. Attackers may attempt to intercept NFC signals using malicious devices. Other threats include cloning cards or exploiting weak encryption protocols.
Most modern smartphones, including iPhone (iPhone 6 and later) and many Android devices (Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, newer OnePlus, etc.), support tap-to-pay via NFC, using digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay for contactless payments, with specific model compatibility depending on the app and carrier. The key is an NFC chip and a compatible digital wallet app for seamless, card-free transactions.
If your phone can read the card's information, it is an NFC card. For RFID cards, you may need a specialized RFID reader to access the data.
The first time you use your contactless card, you'll need to use chip and PIN or sign for your purchase. Once you've done that, all future transactions can be contactless. Hold your card close to the reader - around two to four centimetres - for it to work.
Convenience. Make contactless payments by tapping your card at any one of the thousands of contactless terminals around the world – just look out for the contactless symbol, and the Visa Paywave or Mastercard PayPass symbol.
How to set up Tap to Pay on your Android device?
Compared to existing credit and debit card technology, Tap to Pay is generally much safer to use. The RFID field is part of what makes contactless cards so secure.
The four curved lines on the front-right of your card, which looks like the Wi-Fi symbol turned on its side, indicate that you can tap to pay anywhere you see the contactless symbol.
Check if your card is “Tap to pay” ready
The first six to eight digits reveal the credit card network and the card's industry. The first digit in any credit card number tells you what type of card it is—Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex. Card numbers of each type always start with the same number: 3: American Express or cards under the Amex umbrella.
You've probably used it without thinking – the quick “tap, beep, done” way to pay. Contactless means you don't need to faff with chip & PIN or cash; your card, phone or smart watch has a tiny chip that securely transmits payment details. Cards: Almost all new UK debit and credit cards are contactless.
Yes, your phone likely has tap-to-pay if it's a modern smartphone with Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled, which you can check in your phone's settings (look for "NFC" or "Contactless payments") and then set up using apps like Google Wallet or Apple Pay. To use it, turn on NFC in Settings, add your credit/debit cards to your phone's digital wallet app, unlock your phone, and tap it near any terminal showing the contactless symbol.