More than one billion contactless MasterCard and Maestro transactions were processed in Europe in 2015, up 150% on 2014, MasterCard reports. The value of transactions conducted using a contactless card or device increased by 183%.

The number of cards, mobile phones and other devices used to make a contactless transaction grew by 121% in 2015, MasterCard adds, while the total number of contactless cards and devices issued to consumers increased by 50%.

Merchant locations accepting contactless transactions are also up by 72% year-on-year. Globally, MasterCard estimates there are more than four million merchant locations that can accept contactless transactions.

More than 10 countries in Europe now have over five million contactless cards or devices in circulation and an average of 13% of in-store transactions in the last quarter of 2015 were contactless.

In the Czech Republic 77% of all in-store transactions are now contactless, followed by Poland (55%), Hungary (40%) and Slovakia (38%). 13% of transactions in Spain are contactless and 9% in the Netherlands.

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