Merchants in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands can now accept contactless payments on a standard Android NFC smartphone or other mobile device using a software point of sale (sPOS) solution being rolled out by PayPal. PayPal contactless payments smartphones

The launch comes at a time when the popularity of contactless payments continues to rise, with nearly 70% of debit card transactions and over half (56%) of credit card transactions now being contactless. In fact, since the rise of the contactless spend limit last October (from £45 to £100) the average contactless spend has increased by 29% per transaction, from £11.86 in September 2021 to £15.30 in December 2021.

Contactless payments for small businesses on Android

Following this shift in consumer behavior, entrepreneurs and small businesses are looking for solutions to help them adapt and meet customers wherever they are. With Tap to Pay, individual sellers and small businesses can start accepting contactless payments within minutes of signing up with Zettle by PayPal. Sellers will be able to accept contactless payment via physical cards and digital wallets — like Apple Pay and Google Pay — on smartphones and connected watches, directly on their Android mobile device. PayPal contactless payments smartphones

Leveraging near-field communication (NFC), Tap to Pay enables smartphones and tablets to serve as payment terminals by securely capturing card details through a contactless “tap” on the back of the device and through direct communication with card payment processing rails. The solution works on devices with Android 8.0 and NFC capabilities.

“The pandemic has accelerated the growth of new small businesses around the world. At the same time, the world is rapidly digitising, and consumers increasingly expect to be able to make seamless, digital payments whether online or in-person,” said Ben Ramsden, Director of Small Business for PayPal UK. “That’s why we’re excited to launch Tap to Pay. We believe in the power of small businesses and want to help them succeed. With Tap to Pay, entrepreneurs can quickly and easily start selling in-person – whether in a pop-up shop, at a farmers’ market, in a physical retail space, or on the go – with no additional costs or hardware needed.”

It’s simple, quick and easy to start accepting contactless payments with Tap to Pay with Zettle by PayPal:

1. Download the Zettle Go application on an Android device, and once signed up with Zettle by PayPal, begin accepting payments within minutes. If a business owner uses PayPal, they can also sign up directly from their PayPal business accounts.
2. To accept a payment, either enter a specific amount or select an item from the product library. Then select “Charge” and choose “Tap to Pay” as the payment method.
3. To make a payment, customers can tap their card or digital wallet-linked smartphone or watch on the back of the Android device.
4. Once the payment is approved, the business can print, email, or text the receipt to the customer. The fee for accepting contactless payments via Tap To Pay is the same as the regular fee for card-present transactions; there are no additional fees for this feature.

Following the rollout in the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands, PayPal says it plans to launch the solution in other markets “in the near future”. PayPal contactless payments smartphones