Visa has initiated a pilot programme with The Salvation Army and tiptap to make donations contactless at the charitie’s iconic Red Kettles this holiday season.
The pilot is rolling out across the East and West Coasts, enabling tap to give at nearly 2,000 Salvation Army Red Kettle stations in places like Washington, Southern California, San Francisco, and Sacramento.
Visa data shows US penetration of contactless payments has doubled from just over a year ago with 400 million contactless cards now in circulation.
“Tapping to pay has become an integral part of everyday life, especially over the last two years. As the holidays approach, there’s tremendous opportunity to incorporate the simple, safe, touchless, and secure contactless payments that people rely on into charitable giving,” says Kimberly Lawrence, head of US, Visa. “Now, giving back to your local community through one of the most recognisable charitable holiday campaigns is as simple as a tap.”
The US roll out comes three years after the Salvation Army first trialled the technology in Canada.