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💳 Payments • January 2022

Contactless Payments Hit 50% of All US In-Store Transactions

A historic milestone: tap-to-pay is now the dominant in-store payment method in America

50%
Contactless Share
150%
YoY Growth
$4.6T
Volume
📊 The Tipping Point

For the first time in history, contactless payments — tap cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay — account for the majority of all in-store card transactions in the United States.

Payment Method202020212022 (proj.)
Contactless/Tap30%48%55%
Chip Insert33%28%23%
Mobile Wallets18%26%32%
Cash15%12%10%
Swipe4%2%1%
⚡ What This Means for Your POS

✅ If Your POS Has NFC

You’re ready. Ensure tap-to-pay is enabled (some terminals have it disabled by default). Train staff to encourage contactless — it’s faster for everyone.

❌ If Your POS Lacks NFC

Upgrade immediately. You’re creating friction for 50%+ of customers. Square Reader ($0-$49), Toast terminal, or Clover Flex all support contactless.

🔑 Key Takeaway: If your POS terminal doesn’t accept tap-to-pay, you are now inconveniencing the majority of your customers. NFC support is no longer optional — it’s baseline.


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