On Tap: Contactless Technology for These Capital One Cards

Contactless credit cards use technology such as near-field communication to transmit card information to the reader.
Claire Tsosie
By Claire Tsosie 
Published
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UPDATE July 27, 2020: The Capital One Platinum Credit Card now has contactless technology as well.

Paying with a credit card at checkout today may mean dipping your card in the EMV reader, twiddling your thumbs for 20 seconds or so and yanking out the card when the machine beeps/honks/dings. Or maybe you still have to swipe your card through a magnetic-stripe reader. But soon you might be able to sidestep either inelegant process if you have a Capital One card.

Capital One is adding contactless technology to some of its most popular cards. Starting this week, this feature will be available on new accounts for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. In addition, existing holders of these Capital One cards will receive a contactless version of their card when it's reissued — that is, when their current card expires:

Contactless credit cards use technology such as near-field communication, or NFC, to securely transmit your card’s information to the reader. Generally, EMV card readers are compatible with contactless cards. Just tap your card on the reader to complete the transaction.

Contactless cards aren't new in the U.S., but they may seem so. When issuers first promoted the technology about 10 years ago, most card readers in this country couldn't accept these tap-and-go transactions. As a result, early efforts to popularize contactless transactions fizzled in the U.S. But the technology took off in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, where readers that could accept contactless payments were already in place. New fraud-prevention rules that took effect in 2015 prompted many U.S. merchants to update their card readers to be EMV-compliant. Most of these new card readers are also able to accept these contactless payments, giving these cards a second chance in the U.S.

If you don’t want to make contactless payments, don’t fret. You can still use your Capital One card the usual way (by dipping) and the old-fashioned way (by swiping).

Capital One Cards from our Partners
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-5x

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
Capital One® SavorOneSM Cash Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1%-10%

Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024. Terms apply.

Cashback

Intro offer

$200

Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
4.9
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-10x

Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
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