Google Wallet could soon let you add cards by tapping them on your phone, and I can’t believe this isn’t already a thing

• Unreleased code suggests Google may enable users to add cards to Google Wallet by tapping the card on their phone
• We don't have a timeframe or release date yet
• The new feature could speed up adding new cards to your phone

Google could be readying a change to the Google Wallet app that would make adding contactless payment cards faster and easier.

Unreleased code uncovered by Android Authority suggests that Google could soon enable the addition of cards via near-field communication, or NFC, the wireless technology that enables contactless payments.

In everyday terms, that would mean adding a card by tapping the card on the phone as you would on a contactless card reader.

The new option will apparently be found on the “Add payment method” screen alongside existing methods, such as manual entry.

And though NFC has the potential to be much faster than adding your card details manually, it’s possible that you’ll still need to enter your CVV (or CVC) number for security reasons.

The Android Authority report found no suggestions regarding compatibility, so we can’t yet say which types of cards and which issuers will be supported.

Furthermore, there’s no mention of whether this feature will be added with the upcoming release of Android 16, or as part of a smaller update.

How hasn’t this happened yet?

Personally, I feel like this rumor seems so logical that it’s almost bizarre that it’s not already part of the official Google Wallet experience.

After all, the NFC technology employed by contactless cards, phones, and card readers operates the same way – there’s nothing stopping a phone from reading a card from a technical point of view.

Speculatively, it’s possible that security concerns delayed Google’s adoption of the tap-to-add feature. After all, the feature needs to be secure so that cards can’t be added to a phone fraudulently.

In any case, I’d be glad to see this feature come to Google Wallet – paying contactlessly is a convenient feature, and this new feature is sure to make things even easier for users of the best Android phones.

Would you add a card to your phone via NFC? Do you prefer using a contactless card or smartphone to complete payments? Let us know in the comments below.

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