NFC Payments, What it is? Explained.

What are the NFC Payments?

Gone are the days when we had to carry wallets full of cash and a dozen cards to stores. Now, NFC mobile payments have made it possible for shoppers to make transactions with just a few taps on their phones. 

NFC Mobile Payment Apps have become popular as the new, robust, and secure way of exchanging money from the comfort of your phones. However, many are still unsure about what they really are or how they work. 

Dive into this article to know what NFC meaning? how does it work? And most importantly, How can they help your business? 

How Does NFC Payments Work?

Near field communication, more commonly known as NFC, is a technology that allows secure and quick transfer of data from one device to another. 

It uses radio waves for contactless exchange, similar to Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) technology, allowing exchange only in extremely close proximity. 

When the payment and reader devices are brought close together, the NFC chips exchange encrypted data for completing the payment, creating an agile checkout flow. This is how NFC based payments work for e-wallets like PayPal, allowing easy and contactless payments. 

E-wallets come with additional security, including biometric locks and pin codes, making e-wallets more secure and trustworthy. They also allow users to save their card details on their phones and spare them the trouble of carrying them around everywhere. 

There are numerous other benefits of using NFC for payments. 

Advantages of NFC Phone Payment Apps

Added Convenience 

These payment apps are much more convenient and faster than the old payment methods, including cash and debit/credit cards. 

Users can now simply download Near field communication  enabled payment apps on their phones and make contactless payments. They don’t have to hunt for cash or enter their pin and details. They can simply make payment with a few taps or bringing their device near the reader. 

More Secure 

NFC payments allow safe and secure transactions. The data on the app is encrypted, meaning that even when making payments, only a virtual code is shared with the payment device, keeping the details of your debit/credit card or any other account details secure.

Even if a user’s phone gets stolen, no one can access their card details or make payments. Thanks to the additional layer of security provided by biometric locks.

Customer Engagement 

If a shopper finds a long queue in your store, they might not shop at all at your “crowded” store and find another place. NFC payments are easy, fast, and secure, making the payment queue shorter and creating a seamless experience for your consumers. 

NFC also makes it easier to run a reliable loyalty program on the app. 

Versatility 

NFC is highly versatile as it allows users to make payments anywhere and everywhere, including fuel pumps, toll booths, shopping centers, bank cards, and travel tickets. 

Top 5 NFC Mobile Payment Apps 

PayPal

PayPal makes international payments, along with national payments, easier for users. It is trusted by users to transfer money securely and conveniently worldwide. 

To transfer money, both the sender and receiver must have a verified PayPal account. Installing and verifying an account is quite simple for both android and iOS users. 

Google Pay

Google Pay is an NFC Payments Android App that allows convenient contactless payment at stores. 

The app allows users to save their debit/credit card details conveniently. The user can then make payments using a virtual account number instead of sharing the real card details, making the process secure. The app also keeps track of all the transactions and provides users certain benefits in the form of redeemable points and coupons. 

Apple Pay 

Apple Pay is an NFC Payments iPhone App that provides “tap and pay” services to iOS users. 

Users can upload their card details on their Apple devices and make contactless payments at retail stores. Apple Pay’s “tokenization” makes it very secure to use. On making payments, the merchants only get a token from the user, not their account details, making the process very secure. The touch ID feature also adds to the security. 

VISA payWave

Visa payWave is a secure payment app that uses an integrated computer chip to make payments. The magnetic tape technology allows users to make quick and reliable payments at the stores that accept Visa payWave cards.

Their secure end-to-end encrypted system reduces the risk of theft of credit/debit card information.  

MasterCard PayPass

The PayPass feature of MasterCards allows contactless Payments via smartphone or card. The merchants must have a PayPass terminal to accept such payments. The user can just “tap and pay” using their card. 

The payments made using PayPass have unique electronic encryption, making them secure. 

Pandemic Induced Popularity of Contactless Payments by NFC

As the people worldwide were forced to stay indoors and maintain physical distance during the pandemic, even exchanging money turned into a perilous venture. Contactless payments via NFC were the savior. 

The rising popularity of Contactless payments by NFC technology propels countries to reassess their contactless payment transaction limits, addressing a few pressing issues. NFCW reported that they have now updated the limit from 25% to 400% already, with an average of 131%.

This pandemic will continue to transform the global payment experience, as the banknotes go obsolete, and the new “contactless payment” method evolves. 

The NFC payment option is continually evolving with a transition from a “tap to pay” transaction to new no-touch methods. Virtual Payment applications like PayPal, Apple Pay, and many more are working on making the experience even more seamless and secure than it already is. 

This pandemic go contactless and see your money transfer at lightning speed because the NFC phone payments method is here to stay!

Ready to Build The Best NFC Payment App?

The contactless method of exchanging money and making payments provide an easy, fast, and secure platform to its users. With their exceptional features and incredible user experience, NFC payment apps are bound to become the new normal. 

It is time to catch-up and works in line with the latest technological trends. 

Build your own Mobile Payment App with Idea Usher today! 

Idea Usher: The best App Developers

Idea Usher has been delivering excellence in the form of customized IT services to clients from all over the world. 

We are a team of tech innovators and marketing wizards who will help you every step of the way. Our developers have extensive experience and expertise in building robust and scalable Mobile Applications. 

Get in touch for a free consultation session with our experts today!