[mattermill]

That sounds sketchy as hell.

[dangrossman]

Why? If you had those cards, or a smartphone with NFC and Google Wallet installed, you could do the same thing in the US. Just look for the MasterCard PayPass logo on the top of the terminal you are swiping your card in today.

I've seen it at CVS, RiteAid, McDonalds, Wawa, ShopRite, Home Depot...

[andrus]

We have vending machines with these at my university. I often start swiping my card only to realize I've accidentally "tapped to pay" (according to the reader).

[astrodust]

Here it's known as "Paywave" (http://www.visa.ca/en/personal/visa-paywave/index.jsp)

On a credit card you have the safety of being able to appeal transactions. I wouldn't want this on a debit card.

[meerita]

I took a picture of the system we use. http://www.flickr.com/photos/minid/8741099364/in/photostream

[bhitov]

At least on the cards I have looked into in the US, there is a purchase price limit and the card info is transmitted with ECC.

[meerita]

The system is cool, imho. For buying something low price, then you don't need to insert password, and I assume with limited operations during certain time. But for expensive ones, you just put your 4 digit pin. The difference is just the card isn't raped on the device.

Each time you pass the card on a place like that it destroy itself, specially if the clerk doesn't have a good day, they just smash the cards until they can't be read.

I replaced 3 cards in a year before the tap system.