Quick answer: Yes, a metal card can tap to pay, but only if it has a metal front and a plastic back. Metal blocks the radio signal that contactless payments use. Plastic lets it through. A card that is solid metal on both sides cannot tap, so contactless metal cards are always built with a plastic back.
How does tap to pay work?
When you tap your card, the chip talks to the payment terminal using short-range radio waves. The chip needs an antenna to send and receive that signal. Metal blocks radio waves, so a chip sitting behind solid metal cannot be reached. Plastic does not block them. That is why a contactless metal card needs a plastic back, and it is how contactless metal cards are normally made.
The two kinds of contactless chips
Not every chip is built the same way. There are two types, and each one gets its signal out in a different way.
- Chips with terminals on the back. These chips have small contact points underneath. In our contactless cards, those points are connected (soldered) to wires in the chip slot. The antenna in the card then supports the chip, so the chip can use that antenna to tap to pay.
- Chips with their own antenna inside. These do everything themselves. They only need a clear path for the signal, which is why the card has a plastic back where the chip sits.
Either way, the plastic back is what lets the signal out.
Our contactless metal cards
You can get tap to pay on these cards:
- Platinum AMEX, in the small chip setup.
- Black AMEX, in both the small chip and the big chip setups. See the Tap to Pay AMEX Black Centurion Card.
- Any black design card, in the small chip setup. Pick a design from our pre-made designs and ask for it as contactless.
Small chip or big chip: which one do you need?
Bank cards use one of two chip sizes around the world. The small chip is a small rectangle. The big chip is a larger square. Which one your bank card has depends on your region and your bank. Look at the chip on your own card, then pick the matching setup. Not sure? Check our Will Your Card Work? page before you order.
What you need before you order
- Your original card must support contactless. If your bank card can't tap, the metal version won't either.
- Your chip should have terminals on the back. Roughly 9 in 10 chips do. If yours does not, this method will not work, so check first.
- You move the chip yourself. Follow our chip installation tutorial. Once the chip is in, nothing else needs to be set up.
We never ask for, or accept, your bank card. Handing over your card is a risk, so the transfer is done by you. If you would rather not do it yourself, you can show the tutorial to a local technician and have them do it for you. Results depend on your chip and on how carefully the transfer is done.
Full metal vs contactless: what's different?
| Full metal card | Contactless metal card | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Metal on both sides | Metal front, plastic back |
| Tap to pay | No | Yes |
| Chip and PIN | Yes | Yes |
| Back of the card | Laser engraved | Printed |
| Price | Standard | Higher, because of the extra technology |
| Delivery time | Same | Same |
The back of a contactless card is printed instead of engraved because plastic cannot go under the laser. The front is still laser-engraved metal.
Do you pay mostly by tap, or mostly by chip and PIN? If you don't need to tap, a full metal card is the more affordable choice. Read Do Metal Cards Work? ATMs, Chip Readers and Tap to Pay Explained to compare, or see our Contactless & Tap to Pay page.
Frequently asked questions
Can a metal card tap to pay?
Yes, if it has a metal front and a plastic back. A card that is solid metal on both sides cannot tap, because metal blocks the signal.
Why do contactless metal cards have a plastic back?
Plastic lets the radio signal pass through. Metal blocks it. The plastic back gives the chip a clear path to the payment terminal.
What are the small chip and big chip?
They are the two chip sizes used on bank cards worldwide. The small chip is a small rectangle and the big chip is a larger square.
Does my bank card need to support contactless?
Yes. The metal card uses your own chip, so if your original card can't tap, the metal version can't either.
Does a contactless metal card take longer to arrive?
No. Delivery time is the same as our other metal cards.
Do I send you my bank card?
No. We never ask for or accept your card. You move the chip yourself using our tutorial, or ask a technician to help.
Browse the American Express-inspired collection
Solaris Metal Cards designs are inspired by well-known card styles. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any bank or card network.
