Global shipments of contactless payment cards top 2bn in 2021

Contactless card being tapped on payment device

The total number of contactless payment cards and modules shipped globally exceeded 2bn for the first time and accounted for more than three-quarters of the overall total of 2.63bn smart payment card and module shipments during 2021 (76%), according to figures released by the Smart Payment Association (SPA)... More


Transport for NSW to pilot Opal+ Mobility-as-a-Service app

Transport for NSW Opal Plus Mobility-as-a-Service app showing journey planner

Transport for NSW is to officially launch the digital version of its Opal transit card that enables passengers to pay fares by tapping a reader with their NFC smartphone or smartwatch and to begin trialling a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) app that will let users plan, book and pay for multimodal journeys across both private and public transport services... More







In-car contactless parking payments roll out in the US

Woman giving commands to Alexa with speech bubbles

Drivers in the US can now find, reserve and pay for parking at some 75,000 off-street locations across the country from their vehicle simply by saying “Alexa, find parking nearby” or by instructing the virtual assistant to find parking at a specific destination... More








Global chip shortages drive increased costs for contactless card manufacturers and issuers

the NIlson report red and black logo

The price of EMV-compliant chips supplied to contactless payment card manufacturers increased by more than 50% in 2021 and is expected to rise by more than 20% during 2022 with the overall cost to card issuers for finished first-use plastic cards rising by between 5% and 20% during 2021, according to US research firm Nilson Report... More