Paytm users can now tap phone on PoS devices to make offline payments

This will be possible even if phone is locked or there is no mobile data or internet connection. Service available on both Android and iOS

Fintech company Paytm said on Tuesday that  it has launched a ‘Tap to Pay’ feature which enables users to make instant payments through their Paytm registered card by just tapping their phone on a PoS machine. This will be possible even if the phone is locked or there is no mobile data or internet connection. Paytm’s Tap to Pay service is available for both Android and iOS users paying through PoS devices.

With the latest Tap to Pay service, Paytm uses its technology to convert the 16-digit primary account number (PAN) of the selected card into a secured transaction code or a 'digital identifier'. This digital identifier ensures that a user’s card details remain only with the user and is not shared with any third party payment processor. When a user visits a retail outlet, they can just tap and pay on the PoS device, without having to share their card details through the transaction.

With the latest feature, payments can be made at all retail outlets, which have card machines that support NFC (near field communication). The cards can be managed through a dedicated dashboard on the Paytm app that offers a section on the transaction history of the card and at any moment can also change the primary tokenized card in a few simple steps. The dashboard also allows the user to change or de-tokenize the card whenever required.

A Paytm spokesperson said, “True digitisation of financial services can only happen when it is not hindered by the limitations of data. With the introduction of Tap to Pay, we are now enabling our users to carry out all digital transactions with or without mobile data. This service is supported by Paytm All-in-One PoS, and also by most major banks and card networks to give our users the widest range of choices.”