You don’t have to fumble with cash or count coins anymore. You have more ways to pay for everyday purchases than ever—and contactless is one of the easiest.

But what exactly is a contactless payment, and how does it work?

What is a contactless payment?

A contactless payment, also known as a near field communication (NFC) transaction, is a way to pay for goods and services without physically handling cash or a card. Instead, you simply hold your payment device (such as a Credit Card, smartphone, or smartwatch) near a contactless reader and voila! Your payment goes through in seconds.

Why are contactless payments becoming popular?

Speed and Convenience

One of the biggest advantages of contactless payment is the speed and convenience it offers. No more fumbling for cash or counting coins, just hold your device near the reader and you’re good to go!

Enhanced Security

Contactless payment is also more secure than traditional methods of payment. When you make a contactless payment, your card never leaves your hand, reducing the risk of it being lost or stolen. Additionally, contactless payments use encryption to protect your personal and financial information.

Increased Acceptance

More and more retailers are beginning to accept contactless payments, making it easier than ever to use this convenient payment method. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee, shopping for groceries, or paying for a taxi, chances are you can use contactless payment!

Pay contactless with a Bank Account

Pay with your phone—the magic of Apple Pay and Google Pay

While our cards are really pretty… you don’t actually need a physical card to pay with bunq. After all, it’s mobile banking we’re talking about. You can create a card in the app and link it to Apple Pay or Google Pay. This way, you can always simply pay with your phone. No need to carry your wallet around anymore.

Pay safely with Digital Cards

If you have a bunq Pro or bunq Elite plan, you get 26 Digital Credit Cards included—so you can use these for safe, contactless payments. What’s their biggest advantage? You can basically block a card in the app the moment you’re done with a purchase. Let’s say it’s the first time you order from a specific website and you aren’t very sure how safe it is. Simply create a card, make your purchase, and delete it from your bunq app. Now you can rest assured that no one has your banking information.

Use your Physical Cards safely

The need for fast, easy and secure payments increased more than ever since the pandemic started. No one wanted to touch payment terminals and input PIN codes anymore—naturally.

However, some like to use their Physical Cards. We can’t blame you—they’re pretty cool (again—we think so). You can still pay contactless in a safe way with your bunq Cards. Simply place your card next to the payment terminal and you don’t need to input your PIN code if your payment is less than €50 EUR. This applies to most countries, but you can find the full list here. So for all those dinner recipes or beer runs…you’re all good!

Extra contactless goodies—your Loyalty Cards

Yes, this isn’t a payment method…but it is a way to get discounts and make the most of your shopping. So just a quick reminder that you can always add your favorite Loyalty Cards to your bunq app, making sure you don’t have to have a mini-anxiety attack while you’re looking for the right one in your wallet at the store (we’ve all been there).

There you go! Plenty of ways for you to make contactless payments using just your phone or your bunq Cards. Sign up with bunq today to explore what we’ve got to offer. It’s free for the first 30 days!