NFC Forum Unveils 2026 Technology Roadmap
NFC Forum, the global standards body for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, has announced its latest roadmap for the evolution of NFC Forum Standards and related technical capabilities. This roadmap outlines the key priorities and areas of development that the organization will focus on over the coming years to ensure NFC remains a secure, efficient, and versatile technology across multiple industries.
New areas of focus include faster data rates, end-to-end application testing, advanced security measures, the evolution of wireless power, multi-purpose tap capabilities, and innovations in digital keys. The roadmap reflects collaborative input from NFC Forum Board members, including Apple, Google, Huawei, Identiv, Infineon, NuCurrent, NXP Semiconductors, Sony, and ST Microelectronics, alongside feedback from NFC Forum members and industry partners. This inclusive approach ensures that the roadmap aligns with market requirements and emerging use cases.
Six Key Priorities of the 2026 Roadmap
1. Faster Data Rates
The NFC Forum is exploring ways to increase the standardized data transfer rate between devices by up to eight times. This development aims to deliver a smoother, more responsive user experience, particularly for applications where speed and reliability are essential. Higher data rates will enhance the efficiency of contactless payments, access control, and other NFC-enabled interactions, providing users with near-instantaneous connectivity.
2. Improving Reader Mode Interoperability
Ensuring consistent performance across devices is a top priority. The roadmap emphasizes end-to-end interoperability testing to confirm that new and updated applications operate reliably on Forum Certified Devices. By strengthening Reader Mode interoperability, the Forum aims to enhance NFC reliability across all use cases, from payments and transport to identification and digital services.
3. Security Advancements
Security remains a foundational element of NFC technology. For the first time, Forum will publish an Controllers Security Profile, creating a clear benchmark for security across devices. The roadmap also addresses future-proofing security protocols against emerging threats, including post-quantum computing attacks, and improving defenses against relay-based attacks. These measures aim to maintain user trust and safeguard sensitive transactions and personal data.
4. Wireless Power Evolution
The Forum is advancing its work on NFC Wireless Charging, developing the next generation of specifications to support higher power levels and devices with multiple wireless charging receivers. Additionally, new device category-specific profiles will be introduced, enabling tailored wireless charging experiences and improving efficiency across a broader range of products.
5. Multi-Purpose Tap
A significant area of innovation is the multi-purpose tap concept, which allows a single tap to perform several actions. This includes enabling the Reader to request and specify the credentials needed to complete each user action. Multi-purpose tap functionality promises to streamline interactions and reduce friction in contactless applications, from unlocking doors to completing transactions or sharing digital content.
6. Digital Keys
The roadmap also explores new opportunities in digital key experiences. By supporting diverse industry requirements, NFC standards will enable seamless adoption of digital keys for a variety of devices and applications. This includes use cases in smart homes, automotive, hospitality, and corporate environments, where secure, convenient access is increasingly in demand.
Industry Collaboration and Insights
Mike McCamon, Executive Director of NFC , emphasized the importance of collaboration:
NFC is a well-established and trusted foundational technology for countless devices and use cases across almost every market. To ensure that each deployment works seamlessly, it is vital that Forum develops global standards that deliver true industry harmonization. Equally important is engaging all NFC stakeholders in the development process, ensuring future evolutions align with both current use cases and long-term ambitions.
The roadmap reflects this collaborative ethos, integrating feedback from a wide array of stakeholders to address the evolving needs of the NFC ecosystem.
Building on Previous Achievements
The NFC Forum last released a Technology Roadmap in 2023. Key initiatives included increasing operating volumes and enhancing specifications to support Digital Product Passport requirements. Both objectives were achieved with the release of NFC Release 15 in June 2025, demonstrating the Forum’s ability to deliver tangible improvements that meet market demands.
For more than 20 years, Forum has empowered organizations to create innovative contactless experiences backed by intuitive, reliable, and consistent open standards,” McCamon added. “The active engagement from a growing number of industries highlights the clear value provides globally. As we move toward the widespread adoption of contactless technologies, we encourage continued discussion and contributions from across the ecosystem.
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