Contactless tap and go payment limits to stay at $200
Another change to tap and go payments at the checkout has been made that will impact the way Australians pay for their items daily.
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Exclusive: Shoppers using tap and go payments at the checkout for payments up to $200 is here to stay.
As more consumers shy away from using cash during the COVID-19 pandemic the nation’s payment industry has decided to extend the higher payment threshold for another few months.
Initially rolled out as a three-month measure in April it was designed to encourage people into avoiding using cash and potentially running the risk of catching germs during the pandemic.
Instead they could handle their own payments cards without the need to touch a pin pad or handle cash.
The Australian Payments Network – the self-regulatory body for the payments industry – doubled the amount to tap and go from $100 to $200.
But on Thursday the payments industry decided this measure must be continued, particularly as the pandemic situation worsened in Victoria where on Thursday the state recorded its highest daily case numbers at 723 and added another 13 deaths.
AusPayNet’s chief executive officer Andy White said it would continue to remain in place for now.
“The payments industry today formally extended the temporary $200 PIN limit for contactless card payments to 17 September 2020, in line with the government’s decision to extend the COVID-19 Biosecurity Emergency Declaration,” he said.
“We will continue to review and make decisions pending government advice.”
Mr White said the move was done to help reduce any chance of COVID-19 further spreading through the community particularly through the use of notes and coins and touching payment PIN pads.
“The extension is a pragmatic decision to help slow the spread of coronavirus by reducing the number of consumers who need to touch a payment terminal,” Mr White said.
The higher payments measure has been introduced across certain cards and retailers including supermarkets Coles and Woolworths but has not been available by all banks and merchants.
Latest Reserve Bank of Australia figures show the ATM withdrawal value was significantly fallen.
Latest figures showed in May $7.6 billion was withdrawn from ATMs, compared to $10.9 billion in May last year.
The higher payment limit also applies to customers using digital wallets via other payment devices including smartphones and smartwatches.
Originally published as Contactless tap and go payment limits to stay at $200