NFC contactless payments in Brazil hit R$ 1 trillion in H1 2026

Contactless payments using NFC technology in Brazil reached R$ 1 trillion in the first half of 2026, marking an 18.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025. According to data from the Brazilian Association of Credit Card Companies and Services (Abecs), this technology now accounts for 76.2% of all in-person card transactions in the country.

Physical cards remain the primary device for contactless payments, used by 65% of consumers, followed by mobile phones at 41% and smartwatches at 2%. A Datafolha survey conducted with Abecs indicates that 73% of Brazilians utilize contactless payment methods, citing convenience and speed as primary benefits.

The Tap on Phone modality, which allows smartphones or tablets to function as payment terminals, saw significant growth. This technology recorded a 79.2% increase in the first half of 2026, totaling R$ 53.6 billion. Over a two-year period, the cumulative growth for Tap on Phone reached 471.3%.

Total industry transaction volume for the first half of 2026 was R$ 2.3 trillion, an 8% increase from the previous year. Credit cards led this volume with R$ 1.7 trillion.