Alliance Data Systems Corp. provides retail partners with technology which makes customer payments fast and easy.

Alliance Data Systems Corp.’s card services business will now provide an EMV-based co-brand credit card solution with tap-and-pay functionality to its retail partners. This new technology will make payments simple, fast and easy by allow customers to pay for purchases by tapping their card on a contactless-enabled terminal.

The first of these dual-interface chip cards are co-branded with MasterCard and BJ’s Wholesale Club and the Fuel Rewards program.

“Alliance Data has always placed a strong focus on delivering intuitive customer experiences that enable our brand partners to build strong affinity with their customers. Contactless cards maintain that heritage by offering a payment method so quick and seamless, shoppers don’t even have to think about it.  And that’s what frictionless payments is all about,” said Art Roca, senior director of payment services for Alliance Data’s card services business. “With the rise of mobile wallets, the industry will continue to shift to faster and easier methods of payment. The rollout of an EMV tap-and-pay card enables us to keep the customer experience consistent across our mobile and chip card solutions and with the predominance of plastic cards, contactless will reach more customers earlier in the adoption cycle.”

EMV – which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa – is a global standard for cards equipped with computer chips and the technology used to authenticate chip-card transactions. Retailers’ EMV terminals require customers to insert their credit cards into a credit card slot at the bottom of the terminal, removing the card only after the transaction has been completed.

The new tap-and-pay enabled credit cards feature the universal wave symbol – a series of semi-circles – on the front of the card. When customers see the same wave symbol on a payment terminal, they simply need to hold their credit card close to or on the symbol until the terminal indicates the card has been accepted. If a terminal does not feature tap-and-pay functionality, consumers can swipe or insert their credit card, depending on the type of terminal.

“EMV cards offer big protection in a tiny chip,” Roca said. “When we add the contactless technology that allows customers to tap, pay and take away, shoppers can count on convenient, simple and fast ways to buy.”