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With Visa and MC mandating that ALL terminals in Europe are cEMV-capable by 2020, and with every major OEMs including cEMV capability into most smartphone and wearables models, the tipping point HAS been reached.

By 2020, more people in the world will have access to contactless interface than to running water or a toothbrush!

Given the UK's slow move to contactless acceptance from the initial London trial it is clear that learnings have been made, especially in the role transit can play.

The higher limits for contactless are also a factor as these were and inhibitor initially

I think the increased adoption for something as simple to use as contactless can also be kind of 'viral'.  Seeing someone buy their sandwich so quickly, without the need enter a PIN or receive change ought to trigger a thought of, "Oh...I wonder if my card will allow me to do that? Maybe I'll try?"

My non-scientific strawpoll (i.e. just observing people) suggests to me that the tipping point has now been reached.  And of course, Apple's involvement has presumably helped.

Only 15% of payment cards are contactless enabled? No wonder this technology has taken so long to reach critical mass. It's a shame that Visa/Mastercard can't enforce mandates on their issuers as easily as on their merchants.

Despite all the promise, we still see a wide regional variation of the use of contactless even within the UK, and specifically this seems to be directly proportional to the distance from London.

In our survey last year, we found that over 70% of UK consumers still do not have a contactless card.

This madness continues. As recently as September my son was issued with a new “Student Account ” debit card that was not contactless enabled.

The very same bank are spending millions on advertising Apple Pay, which at the very best will only be usable by a small percentage of their customers.

Until banks get serious about universally issuing contactless enabled cards, then the job is only half done.