Fintech firm payabl. launches tap to pay for mobile contactless payments

European financial technology provider payabl. announced on Thursday the launch of Tap to pay, a new solution enabling businesses to accept contactless payments directly via smartphones without dedicated hardware.

According to the announcement, the new offering transforms smartphones into secure card terminals, allowing merchants to accept contactless card payments on the move using NFC-enabled Android devices.

The SoftPOS solution is designed primarily for micro and SME businesses, enabling them to accept payments quickly and efficiently anywhere, including at events, temporary retail locations, or while operating delivery services.

“Payments should adapt to the way merchants operate, not the other way around,” said payabl. Group CEO Ugne Buraciene.

“Tap to pay gives businesses a simple way to accept in-person payments using the devices they already rely on every day, whether that’s in-store or out on the move,” she added.

“Combined with payabl.one, merchants can see and manage both online and in-store transactions in one place, giving them clearer visibility and control over their money flow,” Buraciene explained.

After downloading and activating the application, businesses can begin accepting in-person payments immediately, eliminating the need to purchase or wait for traditional payment terminals.

The solution supports PIN entry and e-receipts, while also covering a full range of transaction types including sales, refunds, reversals and tips.

Through integration with payabl.one, merchants can manage all transactions from a single platform, with unified access to payments, payouts, and settlement status, simplifying reconciliation and performance monitoring.

Early adoption has already demonstrated tangible benefits, with retail fragrance store Nafais implementing the solution just days before its official launch.

“The Tap to pay solution was set up within just a couple of days. The process was simple and smooth. Now we can focus more on helping customers rather than worrying about payments,” said Nafais director Nikos Panagiotou.

Since going live, 65 per cent of Nafais’ transactions are processed digitally, contributing to faster checkout times and an improved in-store experience.

The launch comes amid continued growth in contactless payments across the UK and Europe, with regulatory and behavioural shifts accelerating adoption.

In the United Kingdom, the £100 contactless spending cap has recently been removed, allowing banks and card providers to set their own limits, a move expected to further increase usage.

Consumer behaviour data shows that 94.6 per cent of in-store card payments under £100 are already made using contactless technology.

Across Europe, findings from payabl.’s State of the European Checkout report indicate that 41 per cent of consumers prefer contactless debit or credit card payments, while 21 per cent favour mobile wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.

“Micro and small businesses need the flexibility to accept payments wherever their customers are, whether that’s markets, pop-up events, or on the move, especially for delivery services and drivers,” said payabl. Chief Product Officer Breno Oliveira.

“Tap to pay by payabl. removes the need for additional hardware and turns the mobile phones merchants already carry into secure payment terminals,” he added.

“For businesses that operate beyond a fixed location, it means faster setup and fewer operational barriers,” he concluded.

The solution is currently available on Android devices, with iOS support expected to be introduced later in the year.