What is the limit for contactless payments?

[Anonymous]

I've used my contactless BCE for $50, and had to insert the card for $130, and it got me wondering what the limit is. Is it CC dependent? Is there a standard limit?

[Shadowfactor]

I’ve ran $750ish through Samsung pay before no problem. That was on the USB Altitude Reserve

[simplynoir]

I didn’t even realize there was an actual limit to the amount one could make a contactless payment for. First time I’ve heard of such a thing.

[Anonymous]

Contactless was likely meant for those on the go, for Coffee & Danish, or Beer & Hot Dog at the game rtc. Not for buying big ticket elecronics or appliances at Best Buy. Just like there was a signature required on purchases over $50 at one time, now it seems hit or miss. Some card issuers may have set a limit for contactless. 

One of my Banks I use has recently set a $250 transaction limit on signature purchases outside of a 200 mile radius. However, PIN transactions remain.

[simplynoir]

If I had to guess it’s the merchant putting the limit on contactless payments than the issuer. I find it confusing regardless because contactless is just a method of paying just like with the chip and swiping the card. To impose a limit is pointless to me.

[K-in-Boston]

+1 I agree it's likely either the merchant's policy, setup in the point of sale system, or setup on the EMV end with the card processor.  For card-present transactions, all four networks (V/M/D/Amex) have eliminated signature requirements for any amount, but due to different setups and merchant policies we're still signing in most places.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Just got the time to chat with Amex and ask them. They confirmed you all are correct. There is no limit on contactless transactions. I'm guessing, like you said, that my local supermarket or their processor is limiting it then.

I guess I just assumed that since the UK has limits in place (according to articles I've read it was £30 per transaction in early 2018), there would be the same policy in the US.

[imaximous]

In a recent trip to France, my Samsung Pay was declining at a lot of places. Finally, a guy at a store told me that NFC or contactless was limited to something silly like 20 or 30 Euro everywhere in France. At a few places, sometimes I'd get lucky if I placed the phone next to the magnetic reader to try to use Samsung's MST instead of NFC. That seemed to be the only way that I could make purchases for higher amounts or at places where NFC wasn't available, so the terminal would use MST only. Then I read that several countries in Europe have small limits on contactless transactions. Apple Pay was pretty much worthless there.

[Anonymous]

I believe it used to be something like $50 when they attempted to roll it out the first time. I'm not sure having no limit now is particularly a good move considering how much more wary of it Americans seem to be compared to people elsewhere, but we'll see.

[Anonymous]

I've done business transactions for high 4 figures via Samsung Pay. Don't believe there is a limit unless one imposed by the retailer.