91% of payments in Europe are contactless. Are you?

In just a few short years, the simple act of tapping a card or phone to pay has evolved from a tech curiosity to a daily routine. Accelerated by COVID-19 and consumers' demand for faster, safer interactions, contactless payments have become the preferred method at checkout lines across Europe and beyond.

But the real game-changer? For operators of unattended services—vending machines, laundromats, EV chargers, gyms, offices, service stations, etc—contactless is not just a convenience. It's a strategic driver of efficiency, customer experience, and revenue growth.

A Market in Hyper-Growth

Global forecasts confirm the trend:

• The European Central Bank's SPACE survey (2024) shows that only 8% of euro-area consumers used cash exclusively in 2023, down from 20% in 2019.
• Juniper Research projects that tap-to-pay transactions will more than double, from $4.6 trillion in 2022 to $10 trillion by 2027.
• Global Market Insights values the sector at $41.6 billion in 2024, with a projected 12% average annual growth until 2034.

This figure reflects a structural shift in payment habits, driven by digitalization, the convenience of contactless payments, and generational change. More and more Europeans are combining digital, mobile, and contactless methods, relegating cash to occasional or symbolic use.

Europe leads in cashless payments — Spain follows with growing pace

Europe is in the fast lane for digital payments. The European Central Bank's latest SPACE survey shows that 55% of euro-area consumers now prefer cards or other cashless methods for in-store purchases, while only 22% still favour cash (ECB, 2024).

Spain, however, is still catching up. As of 2023, 60% of consumers still use cash as their main in-store payment method, and 65% use it daily (Banco de España, 2023).
However, contactless usage is surging: in the second half of 2023, 4.1 billion contactless card transactions were recorded—a 15.6% year-on-year increase (Banco de España, 2024).

Why contactless payments wins for unattended Operators

Modernizing unattended operations with contactless payments doesn't just meet customer expectations—it improves the bottom line. Here's how:

• More transactions per hour: Cutting selling time from 30s to 5s means serving ~20% more customers during peak hours.
• Lower operating costs: No cash handling, fewer machine jams, and reduced need for service calls.
• Real-time data & control: Monitor sales, adjust pricing, optimize stock, and schedule predictive maintenance.
• Customer loyalty: Seamless payment = better experience, more repeat customers, and stronger word-of-mouth.
• Stronger security: EMV tokenization and no cash reduce chargebacks, fraud, and theft.

How Frekuent smooths the switch

Frekuent helps operators upgrade quickly, easily, and risk-free — with no upfront costs, zero integration fees, and activation in just a few days. The transition to contactless is seamless, disruption-free, and drives more sales.

Our unified API supports a wide range of unattended environments—vending machines, EV chargers, laundromats, gyms, etc—eliminating the need for fragmented systems or multiple vendors.

The Frekuent dashboard delivers real-time insights and remote control over your machines: track transactions, detect issues, and fine-tune performance to maximize uptime and ROI. And with flexible SaaS licensing (monthly or annual), you scale when you're ready—turning your payment setup from a cost center into a true growth engine.

But we don't stop at payment. In a world where tapping is expected, what keeps people coming back matters most. That's why our loyalty engine is built to drive retention:

• Rewards at checkout: Tailored incentives based on usage patterns
• Built-in cashback: Create value with every transaction
• Packs and bundles: Encourage repeat use with flexible options
• Targeted campaigns: Launch offers by location, usage or time — all backed by secure tokenization
• All seamlessly integrated into the payment flow — no apps, no cards, no friction.

Because while payment may be a commodity, loyalty is your edge.

Ready to scale?

Contactless is no longer optional — it's the new standard. Adopting it today means frictionless payments, faster operations, and better customer retention tomorrow.

Let Frekuent be your partner in growth.