Visa Contactless

Frequently Asked Questions

What are contactless payments? How do they work?

Contactless payments provide a new way to use credit and debit cards. With contactless, the cardholder briefly holds the card near a secure reader at checkout, instead of swiping it. A tiny radio transmitter embedded in the card sends payment information over an extremely short distance to a contactless reader. Every other aspect of the transaction is handled in the same way as with other Visa cards.

Do contactless transactions require a signature?

This varies from market to market.  In Malaysia, no signature is required for Visa Contactless transactions under RM110.  In Taiwan, no signature is required for Visa Contactless transactions below NTD1,000 (or NTD3,000 at China Petroleum).

How will I benefit from accepting Visa Contactless payments?

With Visa Contactless, you will be able to increase the speed of service at checkout, resulting in more transactions completed in less time.

Is using Visa Contactless secure?

Yes.  The chip on the Visa Wave card uses advanced cryptography, security and smart technologies and it can prevent card skimming.   In addition, the card will never leave the cardholder’s hand, and because a checkout terminal can process only one card at a time, transaction errors will be prevented.

Can card information be read without the cardholder knowing it?

No. A cardholder must deliberately use their card at the point of sale: Visa Contactless cards need be within 4 inches of a reader and correctly oriented to be read. In addition Visa Contactless transactions require specific information, including a unique transaction cryptogram using a high level of authorized encryption.

What types of contactless readers are available today?

Two basic types of contactless readers are available: Peripheral Contactless Readers (PCRs) that plug in to existing conventional POS terminals, and Integrated Contactless Readers (ICRs) that replace traditional readers and offer both magnetic-stripe- and contactless-reading capabilities. In addition to traditional countertop terminals, readers are available for a range of specialty environments, including fuel pumps, ticket windows and drive-throughs. Visa will support you in determining which terminal type is most appropriate given your existing infrastructure, POS environment, and/or deployment scope.

Will I be able to deploy a single contactless terminal in order to accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express contactless devices?

Yes. Visa, MasterCard and American Express will all offer solutions that support the same standard for Radio Frequency (RF) cards—ISO 14443 A/B. This standard specifies the frequency, power, transmission and anti-collision parameters for contactless devices. Thus, only one contactless terminal will be required to accept such payment devices issued by Visa, MasterCard and American Express. However, full contactless specifications will differ across payment brands. You must procure peripheral readers/integrated terminals that are configured for all payment brands that you want to accept.

What changes will I need to make to my POS to integrate contactless readers?

To deploy Peripheral Contactless Readers (PCRs) that plug into your existing conventional POS terminals, the payment application in your existing terminal must be modified to interface with the PCR. This is the case as long as the terminal has sufficient memory to support the upgraded application and available ports to support the external reader. The upgrade can happen a number of ways, depending upon your infrastructure and is generally similar to how you implement updates to your terminal payment application today. In addition, arrangements must be made for the new contactless readers to be accessed by consumers directly, which may require some reconfiguration of your POS footprint, if your existing terminals are not already customer-activated. Visa can provide additional details on specialty terminals as needed.