A phone instead of a card is everyday life at vending machines now. Behind the convenience is tech that protects card data.
Paying by phone works like a contactless card payment: the reader receives data over NFC. The difference is that the phone sends a token – a substitute card number – rather than the real number. The user confirms with a fingerprint, face, or passcode on the phone.
Tokenization
The token is linked to the card in the payment network. That way, the real card number is not passed to the machine.
What you need
- A phone or watch with NFC.
- A card added to a mobile wallet.
- A machine with a contactless reader.
Machines with mobile payments
Browse cashless-ready devices on the page with vending machines (publisher's site).
FAQ
Is phone payment safer than a card? Tokenization and biometrics add layers of protection, but both methods are secured.
Does the machine see my card number? With phone payments, a token is passed, not the real card number.