Tapping, metal cards & how it really works
Straight answers on what taps, what doesn’t, and how our Tap to Pay cards let you keep the contactless you love — using your own chip.
The honest truth about metal & tapping
Solid metal blocks the contactless signal — so a full solid-steel card cannot tap. It works beautifully by inserting your chip, worldwide, but not by tapping. That’s physics, not a flaw. Tap to Pay is our separate build that gets around it: your own chip is fitted onto a card with a hidden antenna, so tapping works just like the contactless you use today.
How Tap to Pay works
Every Tap to Pay card carries your own chip on a hidden antenna. Three steps, and you never part with your real card.
Choose your Tap to Pay card
Pick the black or silver design built with a hidden contactless antenna inside.
Fit your own chip
You transfer the chip from your current card onto the Tap to Pay card — we never handle your real card. This step is a soldering job; we include a tutorial and recommend professional help.
Tap like normal
Once fitted, tapping works exactly like standard contactless payment — plus it still inserts into any reader.
Two ways your chip is fitted
The right method depends on the chip on your current card. We provide a full tutorial for both, and recommend professional help either way.
Conductive glue fitting
Smaller chips sit on terminals inside the card, so your chip is fixed with conductive solder glue — no wiring involved. This is the simpler of the two methods and has the easier tutorial.
Wire-soldered fitting
Larger chips are connected by soldering fine wires from the card to your chip. It’s more delicate, precise work — the tutorial covers it fully, but a professional is strongly recommended.
The Tap to Pay range
Two finishes, matched to your chip size.
Tap to Pay AMEX Black Centurion
The black card, built for tapping. Supports both larger and smaller chips.
View card →Tap to Pay AMEX Platinum
The silver design. Built for smaller chips, using the easier glue-fitting method.
View card →Common questions
Does tapping really work, or is it limited?
It’s real contactless. Once your chip is fitted to the antenna, the card taps exactly like the contactless card you use now — there’s no separate app or limit.
Can I do the chip fitting myself?
You can — we include a step-by-step tutorial for both the small-chip (glue) and large-chip (wire) methods. That said, this is soldering work, so we recommend a professional such as a jeweller or electronics technician, especially for the large-chip method.
Which card should I get for my chip?
Smaller chips work with both the Black Centurion and Silver AMEX Platinum. Larger chips are supported on the Black Centurion. Not sure which you have? Run the compatibility check below and we’ll confirm from your proof photos.
Why can’t a normal solid metal card tap?
Solid metal physically blocks the contactless radio signal. That’s why Tap to Pay is a distinct build with a hidden antenna — there’s no way to make a fully solid card tap.
Do you ever handle my original bank card?
Never. Your original card stays with you at all times — you move only the chip across, following our guide.
Not sure if your card qualifies?
Take the 30-second compatibility check and we’ll tell you exactly what’s possible — before you spend a thing.