Accepting Payments with Tap to Pay
Tap to Pay lets you accept contactless card and mobile-wallet payments directly on your phone — no card reader or extra hardware required. It uses your device's built-in NFC chip, so any eligible phone becomes a payment terminal for door sales and on-site purchases in the CHI App.
This article is for event organizers, vendors, and staff who take payments at an event.
What You Can Accept
Tap to Pay accepts contactless payments only. The customer holds their card or phone to your device to pay.
- Contactless cards — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
- Mobile wallets — Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Chip-and-insert and magnetic-stripe cards are not supported. If a customer has a card that isn't contactless, ask them to pay with a mobile wallet, their CHI wearable, or a QR code instead.
Tip: Some contactless cards may not be accepted, and transaction limits may apply depending on the card and region.
Device Requirements
Tap to Pay needs a recent phone with NFC. Real support is confirmed by your device the first time you set it up.
iPhone
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|
| iPhone model | iPhone XS or later |
| iOS version | iOS 17.6 or later |
| Apple ID | Signed in on the device with two-factor authentication enabled |
| Not supported | iPhone SE, iPhone X or earlier, iPad |
Android
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|
| Android version | Android 13 or later |
| Hardware | NFC sensor, ARM-based processor |
| Google services | Google Mobile Services with the Google Play Store installed |
| Security | Device not rooted, bootloader locked, developer options off, security update within the last 12 months |
Note: Tap to Pay must be enabled by an event admin and is only available in supported countries. It is currently not available in Indonesia. If Tap to Pay does not appear for your event, it has not been enabled for your region or account.
Setting Up Tap to Pay
Before you can take your first payment, Tap to Pay must be enabled on each device.
- Open the POS for your event in the CHI App.
- Start a sale and choose Tap to Pay as the payment method.
- The first time on a device, tap Set up Tap to Pay.
- Review and accept the Terms of Service. This is a one-time step required by Apple (on iPhone) and the payment provider.
- Wait for "Tap to Pay is ready." Your device can now accept contactless payments.
Setup only needs to be done once per device. After that, Tap to Pay is ready whenever you start a sale.
Note: You need permission to enable Tap to Pay. If you see a message that you're not authorized, ask an event admin to enable the feature for your account.
Taking a Payment
- Add the products to the cart and confirm the total.
- Tap Pay and select Tap to Pay.
- Ask the customer to present their card or phone:
- iPhone — Hold the card or phone to the top of your iPhone.
- Android — An on-screen indicator shows where to tap on your device.
- Hold still until you see "Payment successful."
- Some card payments above a certain amount ask the customer to enter their PIN on your screen. Hand the device to the customer to complete this step. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay usually don't require a PIN.
- Hand over the order.
Troubleshooting
- "This device does not support Tap to Pay" — The device doesn't meet the requirements above. Use a compatible phone or another payment method (wearable or QR code).
- "Update to the latest iOS" — Your iPhone is below iOS 17.6. Update in Settings → General → Software Update, then reopen the CHI App.
- "Tap to Pay is not available for this event" — The feature isn't enabled for your region or account. Contact an event admin (not available in Indonesia).
- "Payment declined" — Ask the customer to try a different card or a mobile wallet. The card issuer, not CHI, declined the charge.
- "Card authorized but not finalized" — Do not charge again. Use Check status to confirm whether the order went through before retrying.
- Nothing happens on tap — Make sure NFC is enabled on the device, remove any thick phone case, and ask the customer to hold their card flat and still against the tap area.
Tip: Keep the CHI App and your phone's operating system updated to the latest version for the best Tap to Pay performance.
The Contactless Symbol is a trademark owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC.