The Near Field Communication (NFC) standards body, the NFC Forum, has outlined the operation of NFC Multi-Purpose Tap which supports several actions with a single tap. This feature is expected to bring greater convenience to multiple NFC applications, including point-to-point receipt delivery, loyalty, identification and transport ticketing.

“Multi-Purpose Tap will bring even more convenience to contactless user experiences by making it possible for multiple transactions to be seamlessly conducted over the course a one single tap,” explains Mike McCamon, Executive Director of NFC Forum. “Consumers and retailers love the security, reliability, and convenience of contactless payments – imagine also logging loyalty points or getting your receipt over that same instantaneous tap. The potential to complete multiple functions and link services together is limitless.”

The innovation is expected to not only further improve usability, but also provide the opportunity to personalise seamless consumer experiences. Examples include simultaneously taking retail payments while adding loyalty points and promotions; applying concessions and best fare pricing when purchasing travel tickets; or receiving details on how a product can be recycled and reused when buying goods.