Barclaycard PayTag intros NFC payments using stickers instead of internal hardware

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Barclaycard PayTag intros NFC payments using stickers instead of internal hardware (UK only)

April 19, 2012 | by Andrew Kameka

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Barclays has introduced its own contactless mobile payment solution. But while most of the NFC products we’ve seen have relied on internal hardware that requires users purchase new phones, Barclays PayTag uses a method that should work with any phone.

Barclays PayTag is a mini-credit card that sticks to the back of a phone. The sticker holds the user’s credit card information and can then be used at select stores in the United Kingdom, so long as the total cost is less than £15 (the cap raises to £20 in June). The attached sticker then acts like other NFC payment options and pays for products by hovering the phone centimeters from a pay terminal rather than swiping a credit card.

PayTag’s low payment limit is disappointing – what happens when your bill comes to £15.02? – but the system has the advantage of being much more flexible than its rivals. Google Wallet is expected to land in the UK later this year, but only a select group of consumers will be able to use it. PayTag working through a sticker means that interested Barclaycard customers won’t have to wait until they upgrade their device to make purchases.

According to a Visa estimate repeated by Barclays, there will be 150,000 contactless payment terminals in the UK by year’s end. Buses in London will also support it this year, and the Tube will follow in 2013. For now, PayTag will be available at the following stores:

Crussh
Pret
Subway
Thames Clippers
Wembley Arena
McDonald’s

Barclaycard PayTag via The Guardian

Barclaycard, mobile payment, near field communication, near field communications, NFC, PayTag, united kingdom

4 Comments

Charles Knight says:

April 19, 2012 at 5:19 pm

I think it’s for a debt card rather than a credit card.
Someone says:

April 20, 2012 at 7:21 am

So, this is an always on, wireless payment sys cabtem that likely has the same remote access vulnerabilities as a wireless cc except you can peel off the sticker. How is this even a remotely good idea?
Rye Campbell says:

April 26, 2012 at 9:32 pm

I like the fact that mobile payment startups are coming up with new ways to improve our payment experience. But I am still wary of NFC technology in general. For now I am quite content with mobile POS systems, as a small business owner it has helped my business tremendously. Now I am looking forward to the launch of mPowa in the UK. Here you can check yehm out here at http://www.mpowa.com
sexy lady clothes says:

July 10, 2012 at 1:58 am

So, this is an always on, wireless payment sys cabtem that likely has the same remote access vulnerabilities as a wireless cc except you can peel off the sticker.

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