Smart Tap

Google Wallet's Smart Tap technology lets customers use any Pass they've saved to Google Wallet. They simply hold their phone to any NFC point-of-sale terminal to redeem their Pass.

For users to add a Pass, developers use the Google Wallet API to create a link or button. The link or button allows users to add various Passes to the Google Pay app. Types of Passes include loyalty cards, gift cards, offers, event tickets, boarding passes for flights, and transit passes.

Intended audience

This guide is for Google Wallet API developers who want their Passes to be redeemable via NFC at a merchant's in-store terminal.

Prerequisites

You must complete the following prerequisites before you set up Smart Tap:

Pass development

You must complete Pass development. To get started, register your application. It's necessary for you to develop a Pass so that you can configure it to be redeemable at an NFC terminal via Smart Tap protocol.

Smart Tap capable terminals

To set up Smart Tap, you must either establish a relationship with a merchant that has Smart Tap capable terminals, or work with a merchant to ensure that the terminals in their stores are Smart Tap capable. A merchant can find a terminal provider whose terminals are Smart Tap capable at Google Wallet Merchant Help.

You must also work with the merchant to ensure that the value in the Pass is conveyed correctly to your system. Once the Point of Sale (POS) processes the value, make sure to update the Pass so that the user sees their new points balance or Pass status.