Which technology is commonly used for contactless payments and access control due to its very short-range interaction?

• A. Bluetooth
• B. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• C. Near Field Communication (NFC)
• D. Infrared Data (IrDA)

Answer: (C)

Very short-range interaction enables a secure, convenient way to handle payments and access control, and NFC is designed for exactly that. It operates at very close proximity, typically a few centimeters, which helps reduce the risk of interception and makes the user’s action intentional—tap a card or phone to pay, tap a badge to unlock a door. NFC supports modes that let a device act like a card (card emulation) or read other devices (reader/writer), enabling both contactless payments and badge-based access in a standardized, secure way. That proximity focus is why NFC is the technology you commonly see in tap-to-pay terminals and secure badge readers.

While Bluetooth can work at longer ranges and RFID covers a spectrum of distances, neither is optimized for the deliberate, ultra-close interaction and security guarantees that NFC provides for payments and access control. Infrared IrDA requires line-of-sight and isn’t used for modern payment or access systems.