Barclays to Provide Contactless Business Cards

Starting in March, all new or re-issued Barclays business debit cards will contain contactless chips.

Barclays is expanding its portfolio of contactless debit cards. Beginning in March, all Barclays business customers receiving new or re-issued cards will find that they come with contactless technology. This enables them to pay for low value transactions by holding the card over a reader, without the need to enter a PIN or insert the card into a terminal.

Over six million people in the U.K. already have a contactless-enabled Barclays VISA debit card or Barclaycard credit card; the bank began rolling out the technology to its U.K. personal customers in 2007. The maximum limit for contactless card transactions increased recently from £10 to £15 in line with demand from retailers and customers, widening the appeal of the technology.

"We work with a large number of small and medium businesses in the U.K. so we have a good understanding of their day-to-day banking needs," said Brian Cunnington, head of debit cards for Barclays, in a statement. "Introducing contactless-enabled debit cards to this group of customers will provide a practical alternative to other payments such as cash and checks and will help to make managing their money a little more convenient by making it easier to keep records of small expenses, traditionally paid for by cash."

Marc O'Brien, managing director, Visa U.K. added: "We firmly believe that contactless is the future of payment technology. 2010 looks set to be a major year " we expect millions more customers will be issued with contactless-enabled cards with many more retailers beginning to accept the technology in their outlets."

Barclays has produced a video explaining what contactless is, why Barclays is leading the industry in its roll-out of contactless cards and how and where contactless can be used.