No, you don't have to. You can also pay contactless by holding your wallet or purse against the payment terminal. However, you need to make sure that there’s just one contactless (payment) card in it.
Paying by contactless card
Paying in-store with your card is easy with contactless technology. We’re happy to explain how this feature works and how to activate it.
What is paying by contactless?
Contactless uses NFC or Near Field Communication technology. This enables what you’re paying with to communicate with a payment terminal at short distances. That means there’s no need to insert your debit card into the payment terminal. Instead, you simply hold your card close to it. Contactless is as secure as using your card and PIN to pay.
At KBC Brussels, we have an extensive range of contactless payment methods which you can use to pay quickly and securely at all times.
Hold your payment card close to the contactless payment symbol on the payment terminal for a few seconds (there’s no need to touch it).
- You don’t need to enter your PIN for payments of under 50 euros. You’ll need to enter your PIN though, if what you’re buying costs over 50 euros.
- If you make a number of consecutive, PINless contactless payments for more than 150 euros (for instance, 45 euros + 45 euros + 45 euros + 25 euros), the next time you pay by contactless you'll either have to key in your PIN or insert your card into the payment terminal and enter your PIN to be able to start making contactless PINless payments again.
How do you know you can pay by contactless?
Contactless payment cards let you pay without touching a payment terminal. If the front or back of your card has the contactless symbol on it (four radio waves), you’re good to go. If it doesn’t work, you may need to activate your card’s contactless feature. Check this out in KBC Brussels Mobile or KBC Brussels Touch. You can also ask Kate, your digital assistant in KBC Brussels Mobile, to activate the contactless payment function.
Back of the KBC Brussels Debit Card (bottom right)
Back of the KBC Brussels Credit Card (bottom right)
How do you activate contactless payments?
For your debit card
- Log in to KBC Brussels Mobile
- Tap ‘My KBC’
- Scroll to ‘Means of payment’ and select your debit card
- Switch on ‘Pay contactless’
For your credit card or prepaid card
- Log in to KBC Brussels Mobile
- Tap ‘My KBC’
- Scroll to ‘Means of payment’ and select your card
- Tap the three dots at the top right
- Switch on ‘Pay contactless’
Ask Kate
- Log in to KBC Brussels Mobile
- Tap the Kate icon at the top right of your screen
- Type ‘activate contactless payments’
Kate will help you right away.
For your debit card
- Log in to KBC Brussels Touch
- Tap or click ‘...More’ at the top right under ‘Payments’
- Select ‘Debit cards’
- Tap or click your debit card
- Open ‘Manage’
- Switch on ‘Pay contactless’
For your credit card or prepaid card
- Log in to KBC Brussels Touch
- Go to ‘Credit cards’ under ‘Payments’ and select your card
- Go to ‘Manage card’
- Switch on ‘Pay contactless’
Not a KBC Brussels customer?
If not, quickly open your KBC Brussels Plus Account. After you’ve received your new debit card in the post, you can start making contactless payments in different ways.
If the front or the back of your card has the contactless symbol on it and you’re at a contactless payment terminal, you’re ready to go.
Briefly hold your card close to the terminal until you see that your payment has been accepted. You don’t even need to enter your PIN when buying things for 50 euros or less. If you’ve made consecutive, PINless contactless payments that come to 150 euros in total, the next time you pay by contactless you’ll either have to key in your PIN or insert your card into the terminal and enter your PIN to be able to start making contactless PINless payments again.
Yes, it is! Contactless is as secure as using your card and PIN to pay. Rest assured that payment will not be made if you pass a contactless terminal with your phone or card. They need to be held right against the terminal for this to happen.
You can make contactless payments of up to 50 euros without having to enter your PIN. However, you’ll always have to confirm payment with your PIN (or other smartphone security method) for higher amounts.
If you’ve made consecutive, PINless contactless payments that come to 150 euros in total, the next time you pay by contactless you’ll either have to key in your PIN or insert your card into the terminal and enter your PIN to be able to start making contactless PINless payments again.
You are not charged anything extra. The contactless payment feature is included in the fee for your card.
You can pay contactless at merchants in Belgium and abroad when you see the ‘contactless’ symbol on their payment terminal.
Each time you pay, you are free to decide whether or not to pay contactless. The merchant will first ring up the amount on their payment terminal or cash register. You then have the choice of either paying contactless (using your card or smartphone) or inserting your card into the terminal.
Contactless payment is especially suitable when buying things for 50 euros or less, as you don't have to enter your PIN at the payment terminal. That’s ideal if you’re in a hurry.
You need to enter your PIN when paying contactless for purchases that come to more than 50 euros. Lower limits may apply abroad.
You can make consecutive payments totalling 150 euros without having to enter your PIN. If this limit is reached, the next time you pay by contactless you’ll either have to key in your PIN or insert your card into the terminal and enter your PIN to be able to start making contactless PINless payments again.
For instance:
- You buy a few small items at the supermarket for 50 euros and pay contactless without entering your PIN
- You buy a scarf for 49 euros and pay contactless without entering your PIN
- The next day, you buy cinema tickets costing 46 euros and pay contactless
- The next time you want to pay contactless, you'll have to enter your PIN because your total consecutive contactless payments now exceed 150 euros
You can indicate whether you want to use the contactless payment method in our digital apps (KBC Brussels Mobile, KBC Brussels Touch or the KBC Brussels Business Dashboard) by going to the facility for managing your payment card(s). You can turn the contactless function on or off for each card.
You can also ask Kate to turn off the contactless payment function.
KBC Brussels payment cards that you can pay contactless with have this symbol on the front or back.
Contactless uses NFC or Near Field Communication technology. An antenna is integrated into your KBC Brussels payment card that establishes a wireless connection with the payment terminal and enables contactless payment to be made. Data is exchanged when the card is held close to the ‘contactless payment’ symbol on the payment terminal. Once the transaction is complete, an audible tone is emitted by the terminal. It's as simple as that.
Yes, you can. The terminal switches off automatically as soon as payment has been made. Even if your card remains within range of the terminal, you can’t be charged a second time for your purchase.
