Why your EFTPOS card might stop working on January 1, and how you can fix it

A technology update may cause EFTPOS cards saved to digital wallets to stop functioning from January 1.

“A small minority of consumers will need to remove and re-add their debit card to their mobile wallet,” the Australian Banking Association (ABA) said on Monday.

Affected customers should have been alerted to the issue by their bank.

“Whilst banks have been proactively reaching out to the small group of customers impacted, some are yet to take the required action,” CEO of the ABA Anna Bligh said.

“It’s a straightforward process that will only take a matter of minutes and will ensure your debit card can continue to make payments into the new year.”

Australian Payment Plus (AP+) informed its customers of the update on December 18, saying it was “rolling out a technical update to some debit cards on mobile wallets to ensure consumers can continue to make payments via EFTPOS from January 1”.

The update applies to customers who added their EFTPOS card to their digital wallet before July 2023.

“AP+ has been working to make the required updates automatically,” it said.

“Based on the program of work underway, AP+ expects that, of the total 19.1 million EFTPOS cards on mobile wallets, approximately 60,000 active cards will not be updated automatically.

“Consumers should be aware that no contact will be made to them directly from EFTPOS or AP+.

“If consumers have doubts about any messages received, AP+ encourages them to verify directly with their bank before taking any action.

“If anyone has any issues transacting via EFTPOS in a mobile wallet from January 1, AP+ recommends they remove and re-add their card. “

“I urge anyone who has received a message from their bank to update the debit card on their mobile wallet to do it today,” CEO of AP+ Lynn Kraus said.

“Removing and re-adding your debit card is a quick fix that will ensure EFTPOS payments process as normal from 1 January 2025.

“Even though this could impact only a minority of consumers with EFTPOS debit cards in their mobile wallet, we are acting now out of an abundance of caution as it is an extremely busy time of year for payments, and for those who won’t be able to complete a payment, it will matter.

“On behalf of AP+ I apologise to anyone who might be impacted by this.”