PayPal says the new card reader will be generally available later this year.

According to PayPal, in response to a changing retail landscape, the new card reader will enable businesses to accept contactless card payments from debit and credit cards and continue to support chip and PIN payments, as well as accepting PayPal payments via its Check-in technology, generate and distribute invoices and send receipts.

Emma Hunt, Director of Small Business, PayPal Australia, said the PayPal Here app turns a smartphone into a complete payments solution, allowing businesses to capture every sale, regardless of the payment method, and coupled with the new PayPal Here Tap and Go card reader will allow businesses to accept card payments faster than ever.

Hunt said the launch of PayPal in Australia reflected an increasing appetite amongst Australians for NFC enabled technologies.

“There is an expectation of choice from Australian consumers who are looking for the flexibility to pay via whatever method they choose and we’re increasingly seeing that customers are looking for the convenience offered by contactless payment.

“We need to ensure we arm businesses with the technology and resources needed to adapt to the ever-changing payments landscape. Our new payments solution will allow businesses to take advantage of the popularity of contactless payments here in Australia, as well as continue to take secure Chip and PIN payments on-the-go,” Hunt said.

Hunt explained that, as with the current PayPal Here Chip and PIN solution, a business simply pairs the new card reader via Bluetooth with a smartphone or tablet (for iOS and Android) and accepts secure payments through the PayPal Here app anywhere they’re trading.

 “The current PayPal Here card reader has proven to be really popular, with tens of thousands of Australian businesses accepting payments from market stalls, ute trays and garages across the country,” continued Hunt.

“The smartphone has well and truly become the mission control device for running a small business and the new iteration of the PayPal Here device provides businesses with another way for consumers and businesses to pay and get paid.”

There are no monthly subscription fees to use PayPal Here, just a one-off charge for the card reader and then a small fee per transaction, and businesses can sign up to PayPal Here at.

Charges listed by PayPal are:

1.95% for payments through the PayPal Here Chip and PIN card reader, or PayPal check-in payments, 2.6% + $0.30c for invoices, and 2.90% + 0.30c for card payments manually entered into the PayPal Here app.