Mastercard® enables contactless limit raise

On April 1st, the UK’s contactless payment limit increases from £30 to £45, alongside limit increases in 28 other countries across Europe.

Mastercard has announced its commitment to enabling the increase in contactless payment limits across Europe, as 29 countries implement new limits to improve the shopping experience across the region.

“Mastercard was the first to grasp the potential and ensure all payment terminals became contactless ready from 1st January 2020. We have all now seen how quickly people have embraced Contactless payments as their preferred way to pay every day,” said Milan Gauder, Executive Vice President of Product and Innovation, Europe at Mastercard in last Wednesday’s press release. “Today’s announcement is designed to reflect the pace of changing behaviours of the people we all serve giving them ease, speed and peace of mind in a fast changing world.” 

UK, Ireland, Estonia and Poland are leading the way with permanent changes to limits while others are implementing temporary limit raises to help their people shop more easily during this difficult time.

The limit increase is a direct response to the coronavirus pandemic, with many stores and customers now wary of handling cash or touching PIN pads, considering them to be surfaces upon which the virus may be able to survive for a significant duration.

This follows both China and Korea disinfecting and isolating used banknotes as part of their efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not specifically issued a warning against using cash but does advise the public to wash their hands after handling money, especially if subsequently handling or eating food. The Bank of England strengthens the motivation to avoid cash by acknowledging that banknotes "can carry bacteria or viruses" and urges people to wash their hands regularly.

The contactless limit increase is invaluable in supporting the current social-distancing guidelines by allowing consumers to increase their spend on essentials at any one time, helping to reduce the frequency of store trips necessary to maintain a household’s basic requirements.

This is particularly helpful for K Ring customers at a time when grabbing a coffee on the go, buying lunch or jumping on the Tube isn’t going to be possible for a while, with the limit increase letting you now pay for a larger basket of shopping essentials with your contactless payment ring. Your K Ring will not be damaged by soap, water or alcohol-based hand sanitiser, so please continue to wash your hands as often as possible – especially after having been in a public space – and use hand sanitiser as much as necessary. We recommend removing your K Ring while you wash your hands, ensuring you clean the inner band as thoroughly as the exterior. Please strictly follow the NHS handwashing guidelines.

Some shops, given the strain they're currently under, may take longer than others to implement the necessary changes to their systems, but K Ring customers will be able to start making contactless payments up to £45 from 0500hrs (UK time) Thursday, April 2nd.

Here’s the full list of the 29 countries which will be increasing their contactless payment limits, showing both current and new limits: