Chip and Contactless Payments: Quick and Secure Ways to Pay

Move over, cash – there are lots of new ways to pay. In fact, you may not even be aware of all the ways in which you can make a purchase with your UW Credit Union debit or credit card. Over the past several years, new technologies such as contactless payments have emerged to make your trip to the corner store both faster and more secure. Let’s take a look at some new ways to pay.

Dip the chip

Many debit and credit cards issued today have an embedded microchip. In fact, UW Credit Union cards have come with microchips since 2016. Inserting your chip card into a reader is a more secure way to pay when compared to a magnetic strip. Chip technology specifically helps to prevent counterfeit fraud, providing additional peace of mind.  

Do the wave

Leave your bulky wallet at home and add your UW Credit Union debit or credit card to your mobile wallet. Mobile wallets are digital payment apps such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay that provide a quick, convenient and contactless way to pay for purchases. Simply look for the contactless symbol and wave your phone over the payment terminal to make your purchase.

UW Credit Union members have been enjoying mobile wallet technology since 2014, and this technology actually provides an additional layer of security when compared to chip technology.

Tap dance

When you see the contactless symbol on your card and at the payment terminal, you’re just a tap away from completing a purchase. New in 2021 and similar to mobile wallets, contactless cards just require a simple tap to pay, and are both quick and secure. Contactless cards typically won’t require the use of a PIN or a signature -- just tap your card and go. It really is that easy!

If your current card doesn’t have the contactless symbol, fear not: upgrading your card is easy. Click here to get started.

No matter how you pay – dip, wave or tap – free transaction alerts can help you keep tabs of any purchase made with your card. Sign up for transaction alerts today and monitor your accounts in real time!