Chase announced the rollout of 1.8 million Visa debit cards with blink technology, a contactless payment system, to make purchases faster for its customers.

Chase, which introduced credit cards with blink last fall, is the first Visa issuer to offer contactless payment capability on debit cards, which deduct purchases directly from a customer's checking account. Cardholders can make purchases by simply holding the card close to a participating merchant's card reader at checkout.

More than seven million Chase customers currently have credit cards with blink.

Blink is being introduced to checking account customers as Chase reissues 1.8 million debit cards, switching to the Visa mark. All Chase debit cards, except the Chase Continental Airlines card, will now carry the Visa logo.

Chase's customers began receiving the new debit cards with blink in the mail last month and mailings will continue through June.

U.S. consumers now use debit cards to make purchases just as often as they use cash, and debit card use continues to grow. Chase debit cards with blink offer a faster and safer alternative to cash, making debit cards even more convenient for customers to use.

When using the blink functionality, the Chase debit card must be held within one to two inches of a card reader to conduct a transaction, minimizing the possibility of an unintended purchase. The card readers have a built-in safeguard that prevents more than one card from being read at a time, and purchases above $25 require a signature as an extra security measure.

The radio frequency technology that drives blink uses the highest level of encryption allowed by the U.S. government, and the card's RF chip contains the same minimal amount of personal information as the traditional magnetic stripe cards.

Other consumer safety benefits of cards with blink include:
Zero liability for fraudulent transactions;
Quick replacement of lost or stolen cards;
The ability to track account details online;
No need to hand over the card to a cashier;
No risk of an accidental card reading because consumers must hold the card within 1 to 2 inches of a reader to conduct a transaction.

The blink debit card also has a magnetic stripe and can be used with a PIN at ATMs to get cash or at the more than 22 million merchants worldwide that accept Visa.

Browse offers for a Chase Credit Card at Credit Federal and submit an online application.