What is a contactless payment system?

• A. A payment method requiring physical contact with a reader.
• B. A method using near-field communication or similar tech to pay by tapping a card or device.
• C. Cash-only payments.
• D. A barcode-based pay-at-station system.

Answer: (B)

Contactless payment systems use wireless short-range tech, like near-field communication (NFC), to transfer payment data between a card or device and a reader when you tap or wave it. You don’t insert or swipe; you simply bring the card or device close to the reader and the transaction is initiated. The data is protected through methods like tokenization, so the actual card number isn’t exposed. This is why the description that specifies near-field communication or similar tech to pay by tapping a card or device is the best answer. It’s not about physical contact with the reader, cash-only payments, or scanning a barcode, all of which describe different payment methods.