The number of NFC-ready point-of-sale terminals around the world is set to soar over the next few years, from 3.9 million in 2011 to 43.4 million in 2017, claims Swedish research firm Berg Insight.
The market for NFC-ready POS terminals grew fiercely in 2011, with annual shipments doubling to an estimated 2.5 million units worldwide, says the report, taking the total number to just under four million - around eight per cent penetration.
With Berg Insight forecasting a compound annual growth rate of just shy of 50%, this number will rise to 43.4 million units in 2017, meaning that 53% of all terminals will be NFC-ready.
The penetration rate is projected to be highest in North America where an estimated 86% of terminals will be NFC-ready by 2017. In Europe, Berg predicts the rate will hit 78% but take-up will be slower in the rest of the world, only reaching 38%.
The popularity of mobile wallets will help drive the move to NFC terminals and require support for value-added services such as coupons, loyalty cards and daily deals.
Lars Kurkinen, telecom analyst, Berg Insight, says: "Mobile wallet services will create an unprecedented opportunity for retailers to interact with consumers in real-time while their purchasing decisions are being formed, for instance by delivering personalised offers in real-time while consumers are inside the shop."