The Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to review the £100 contactless card limit clearly sign posts the direction of travel as more and more people of all ages chose tap and play as their preferred payment method. Catering for greater consumer choice and convenience Kashing is leading the way across the industry demonstrating how contactless and unattended payments are boosting business, reducing overheads and creating new revenue streams.
Karen Rossouw, founder and CEO of Kashing, the payments innovator that serves operators across the amusements, arcade, FEC, pub and holiday park sectors, has welcomed the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) consultation on the UK’s £100 contactless card limit, describing it as a ‘timely step’ towards aligning consumer needs, expanding choice and helping to drive the government’s economic growth agenda.
The FCA is consulting on proposals that would remove the £100 transaction ceiling giving card providers greater flexibility to set their own limits and allowing customers to define their own personal caps. The FCA said the proposals reflect advances in payment security as well as elevated consumer demand for greater choice and convenience.
“Consumers have embraced contactless with enthusiasm, and the £100 cap is out of step with contemporary spending habits,” said Rossouw. “The FCA’s review is a positive move that recognises both the pace of technological change and the confidence consumers have in the security of digital payments. Flexibility for banks, card issuers, and customers will enhance choice while ensuring that consumers remain protected.”
The review comes against the backdrop of record-breaking adoption of contactless pay. According to Barclays’ Consumer Spend data, 94.6 per cent of all eligible in-store card payments were made using contactless in 2024, with consumers averaging 236 such transactions across the year. The average annual ‘per person spend’ using contactless was £3,803 – up nearly 5 per cent year-on-year. Notably, the over-65s were the fastest growing demographic of contactless users for the fourth consecutive year.
Rossouw argues that these statistics illustrate consumer preferences for contactless as well as the significant opportunity that exists for the business community. “It’s clear from the Barclays data that any operator failing to prioritise contactless risks being left behind. The overwhelming majority of customers, across all demographics, now see tap-and-go as their preferred payment method. While recognising that cash retains an important role, the convenience, speed, and security of contactless make it the payment method of choice for a growing number of consumers.”
Kashing has been at the forefront of tailoring payment solutions for the broadly based amusements and arcades sectors – an industry traditionally dominated by coin-operated machines. By introducing ‘tap-and-play’ functionality, Kashing has helped operators overcome the limitations of cash, unlock new revenue streams at the same time as reducing overheads.
“For years, operators were constrained by the reality that people carried limited change” argued Rossouw. “With Kashing’s contactless solutions, operators are now able to adjust pricing flexibly, increase per-play revenue, and enhance the overall player experience.”
“We’ve consistently seen businesses achieve 30 to 50 per cent revenue growth after adopting a Kashing-led digital payments strategy.”
Beyond revenue gains, Rossouw highlighted the security benefits. “Moving away from cash eliminates the risk of theft – whether through break-ins, dishonest collections, or vandalism. It reduces costs, improves efficiency, and future-proofs businesses against shifting consumer behaviour.”
The FCA has underlined that the consultation forms part of nearly 50 fast-tracked measures designed to support economic growth and innovation while removing unnecessary regulatory barriers.
David Geale, Executive Director of Payments and Digital Finance at the FCA, commented: “We’re seeing smarter payment technology and more well-established fraud controls, so it’s the right time to let firms tailor contactless payments to fit their customers’ needs and drive innovation. Firms would have the flexibility to make payments more convenient for customers.”
Official data published in the 2025 UK Finance Annual Fraud Report estimates that contactless fraud rates are currently low at circa 1.3p per £100 spent on contactless transactions, compared to 6p per £100 for all unauthorised fraud.
Rossouw sees the FCA’s proposals as an opportunity to cement the UK’s position at the forefront of payments innovation. “The UK has been a pioneer in contactless adoption, and this review ensures the regulatory framework evolves in step with both technology and consumer expectations. For operators, particularly in sectors like amusements, the message is clear: embracing cashless is driving growth as our growing number of customers can testify.”
Setting limits
Karen Rossouw said……. “It’s clear from the Barclays data that any operator failing to prioritise contactless risks being left behind. The overwhelming majority of customers, across all demographics, now see tap-and-go as their preferred payment method……
