Paying without contact sounds very impersonal and anonymous. But that’s not the issue. What does it mean?
What is contactless payment?
‘Contactless’ in contactless payment means that there is no need to touch during the payment. The bank card no longer needs to be inserted into the payment terminal to pay.
The technique
Contactless payment is possible with bank cards and smartphones that have an NFC chip. NFC stands for Near Field Communication. Literally translated this means ‘near field communication’. For example, the OV chip card also contains an NFC chip. The chip communicates with the receiver. In the case of contactless payment, this is the payment terminal at the cash register.
Many Android smartphones have such an NFC chip. Payment is made via the bank’s app, which must of course be on the phone. In this overview shows the location of the NFC antenna on the most common mobile phones. The iPhone also has an NFC chip, but it can only be used for Apple Pay.
The logo for contactless payment
Bank cards and payment terminals that are suitable for contactless payment have a special logo (see photo below). Only the four arcs from the picture below are shown on bank cards that allow contactless payment. 
Contactless payment
There is a contactless reader on the side of payment terminals. Hold the bank card (or smartphone) with the NFC chip no more than ten centimeters away, then the device will read the chip. The machine knows from which bank account the amount due has to be withdrawn.
If you pay for something that costs more than 50 euros, the device will ask for the PIN code of the debit card. This is not necessary for amounts under 50 euros, unless you have set it differently at the bank. If you make several small payments in one day and exceed 50 euros, the payment terminal will also ask for your PIN code.
Security contactless payment
The NFC chip must be within a radius of ten centimeters to make contact with the payment terminal. If you walk behind someone at the cash register, you do not accidentally pay for the other person. There is also a safeguard that prevents a payment from being charged more than once.
Fraud has not occurred since its introduction in 2013. Contactless payments also concern small amounts that can be debited without a PIN code. If you lose the debit card or if it is stolen, it is of course possible that others use it for small payments. In that case, the bank will reimburse the damage and there will be no deductible.