Fri, 19 Dec 2025

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 £100 contactless card limit to be lifted

Card providers can decide whether to offer unlimited payments on contactless cards.

* From March, banks and card providers will be allowed to set their own contactless payment limits or allow unlimited spending without a PIN.
* Consumers will also have the option to set their own individual limits or switch off contactless payments altogether.
* The current £100 limit on contactless cards may not be changed immediately, but providers can opt to increase it.
* Contactless card payments currently have an in-built £100 limit, while mobile payments via phone do not require a PIN and offer greater security features such as thumbprints and face ID.
* Concerns have been raised about the potential for increased fraud and theft if contactless limits are lifted.
* The FCA's survey showed that 78% of consumers who responded did not want any change to the current limits.
* Some experts warn that unlimited contactless spending could lead to overspending, financial abuse, and a shift towards a cashless society.
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