The MasterCard PayPass debit cards, which will be issued and processed by First Data on behalf of the bank, feature the added convenience of contactless technology. Cardholders can use the cards to make payments of up to 50 zloty at thousands of retailers across Poland, simply by pressing the card against a special terminal reader. No PIN or signature is required.

"We appreciate the high quality of services provided by First Data's Poland business," said Paweł Wawiernia, director of the Card department at Getin Noble Bank. "We want to ensure that the latest payment card standards are quickly incorporated into our customer offering. The projects that First Data has implemented previously on our behalf have fulfilled our special requirements and for this reason we have decided to continue to work together in the future."

"At First Data our goal is to gain a deep understanding of market requirements so that we can provide a market leading service. We believe that debit cards enabling contactless payments are attractive not only for the bank, but for its customers too," said Grzegorz Dlugosz, board member at First Data's business in Poland.

The contactless MasterCard PayPass cards feature the standard benefits of a debit card and can be used by cardholders to withdraw cash from an ATM and to pay for goods and services in shops. In addition, the cards are equipped with online and PayPass™ contactless payments functionality and modern security technology (EMV chip). A radio frequency identification (RFID) system allows the card to be read by contactless card readers enabling cardholders to make low-value purchases in just a few seconds. Because there is no physical contact between card and terminal the risk of skimming is reduced. For higher value payments cardholders will be asked to confirm the transaction by PIN entry. The contactless cards also feature cryptography to provide security and prevent accidental transactions.