Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Career Intelligence
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Interactive Spotlight
    • Photo Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Security NewswireCybersecurity NewsBanking/Finance/InsuranceRetail/Restaurants/Convenience

How Americans View the EMV Update

retail3-900px.jpg
December 4, 2016

Despite news coverage and social media frustration focusing on perceived shortcomings of credit cards with EMV chip technology, nearly 4 in 5 Americans view chip cards positively, a new NerdWallet survey shows. And more people say they prefer to use chip cards than traditional magnetic-stripe cards when making purchases in stores. Even so, a year after new rules took effect to push issuers and merchants to adopt EMV, the survey confirms that the transition hasn’t been entirely smooth

More than three-quarters of Americans have used the chip feature in an EMV card, NerdWallet survey data show. But according to Visa, only about 32 percent of US merchants were EMV-ready as as of August 2016. However, Visa also said 84% of non-chip-ready merchants are planning to upgrade.

The NerdWallet survey also found:

  • Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (78%) say they have positive feelings about EMV chip credit cards, and 43% say it’s the form of payment they prefer to use most when making a purchase in a store.
  • Almost 3 in 5 Americans (59%) think EMV transactions take 15 seconds or less, while only 19% think they take more than 30 seconds.
  • About half of Americans (47%) say consumers benefit from EMV chip cards.

About 78 percent of Americans said they have very positive or somewhat positive feelings about EMV chip cards. It’s also the most preferred in-person payment method: In the survey, 43% said they prefer to use chip cards when making purchases at a physical retail location. And 29% prefer traditional magstripe cards.

The survey also showed that consumers aren't sure when to use EMV chips: 

  • 39% of Americans who have an EMV card say they usually dip their card whenever they see a chip reader. But if the chip reader isn’t activated yet, these people will be told to try again — this time by swiping.
  • 13% said they usually swipe the magstripe when they get to a terminal, whether they see a chip reader or not. In this case, if the chip reader is active, they’re told to dip the card instead.

Also, millennials — those ages 18 to 34 — are the only generation that had more people preferring magstripe cards (36%) than EMV cards (31%) when making a purchase in a store. Generation X (ages 35-54) and baby boomers (those 55 and over) were more likely to prefer EMV. And although a majority of millennials (69%) have positive feelings about EMV, theirs was the lowest approval percentage of any generation.

And instead of assuming the chip reader is working, millennials with a chip card are more likely than baby boomers to swipe first (19% vs. 8%) and more likely than Xers to ask the cashier how to pay (25% vs. 16%). And when asked to do the opposite — to dip after they’ve swiped, or swipe after they’ve dipped — millennials were more likely to be annoyed (51%, vs. 39% of Xers and 32% of boomers) or embarrassed (29%, vs. 14% of Xers and 9% of boomers).

Overall, though the survey noted that almost half of Americans (47%) said consumers benefit from EMV chip cards. 

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/emv-survey/?trk=nw-synd_292_0_0

Despite news coverage and social media frustration focusing on perceived shortcomings of credit cards with EMV chip technology, nearly 4 in 5 Americans view chip cards positively, a new NerdWallet survey shows. And more people say they prefer to use chip cards than traditional magnetic-stripe cards when making purchases in stores. Even so, a year after new rules took effect to push issuers and merchants to adopt EMV, the survey confirms that the transition hasn’t been entirely smooth

More than three-quarters of Americans have used the chip feature in an EMV card, NerdWallet survey data show. But according to Visa, only about 32 percent of US merchants were EMV-ready as as of August 2016. However, Visa also said 84% of non-chip-ready merchants are planning to upgrade.

The NerdWallet survey also found:

  • Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (78%) say they have positive feelings about EMV chip credit cards, and 43% say it’s the form of payment they prefer to use most when making a purchase in a store.
  • Almost 3 in 5 Americans (59%) think EMV transactions take 15 seconds or less, while only 19% think they take more than 30 seconds.
  • About half of Americans (47%) say consumers benefit from EMV chip cards.

About 78 percent of Americans said they have very positive or somewhat positive feelings about EMV chip cards. It’s also the most preferred in-person payment method: In the survey, 43% said they prefer to use chip cards when making purchases at a physical retail location. And 29% prefer traditional magstripe cards.

The survey also showed that consumers aren't sure when to use EMV chips: 

  • 39% of Americans who have an EMV card say they usually dip their card whenever they see a chip reader. But if the chip reader isn’t activated yet, these people will be told to try again — this time by swiping.
  • 13% said they usually swipe the magstripe when they get to a terminal, whether they see a chip reader or not. In this case, if the chip reader is active, they’re told to dip the card instead.

Also, millennials — those ages 18 to 34 — are the only generation that had more people preferring magstripe cards (36%) than EMV cards (31%) when making a purchase in a store. Generation X (ages 35-54) and baby boomers (those 55 and over) were more likely to prefer EMV. And although a majority of millennials (69%) have positive feelings about EMV, theirs was the lowest approval percentage of any generation.

And instead of assuming the chip reader is working, millennials with a chip card are more likely than baby boomers to swipe first (19% vs. 8%) and more likely than Xers to ask the cashier how to pay (25% vs. 16%). And when asked to do the opposite — to dip after they’ve swiped, or swipe after they’ve dipped — millennials were more likely to be annoyed (51%, vs. 39% of Xers and 32% of boomers) or embarrassed (29%, vs. 14% of Xers and 9% of boomers).

Overall, though the survey noted that almost half of Americans (47%) said consumers benefit from EMV chip cards. 

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/emv-survey/?trk=nw-synd_292_0_0

 

KEYWORDS: chip cards credit card security cyber security

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Cyber tech background

    Security’s Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2026

    Security magazine’s Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2026 award...
    Top Cybersecurity Leaders
  • Iintegration and use of emerging tools

    Future Proof Your Security Career with AI Skills

    AI’s evolution demands security leaders master...
    Security Leadership and Management
    By: Jerry J. Brennan and Joanne R. Pollock
  • The 2025 Security Benchmark Report

    The 2025 Security Benchmark Report

    The 2025 Security Benchmark Report surveys enterprise...
    The Security Benchmark Report
    By: Rachelle Blair-Frasier
Manage My Account
  • Security Newsletter
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

Hand reaching up out of the ocean

What I Learned About Burnout the Hard Way (and How to Actually Fix it)

Broken wet floor sign

Why Response Time Is Becoming the Missing Metric in Workplace Safety and Security

Paparazzi

When Private Events Become Public Infrastructure: What Celebrity OSINT Teaches Security Leaders

Cyber Tactics

AIBOMs: Bringing AI Security Out of the Shadows, A Practical Guide for Security Professionals

Medical professional

Nearly 85% of Nurses Experienced Workplace Violence in the Last Year

Kaseware sponsored webinar
Schneider Electric sponsored webinar

Events

August 25, 2026

Critical Infrastructure Security Is National Security: Protecting Essential Operations in an Era of Escalating Risk

LIVE: August 25, 2026 at 2 PM EDT Learn why critical infrastructure security has become a national security imperative, and the strategies organizations can adopt to improve visibility, collaboration, and response across their security operations.

August 27, 2026

Leveraging AI & Mobility to Advance Your Security Domain

LIVE: August 27, 2026 at 2 PM EDT Explore how AI-driven cloud security solutions can elevate your security domain enhancing threat detection, streamlining operations, and delivering the resilience modern organizations demand.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products


Alertmedia sponsored webinar

Related Articles

  • How Americans View Female Leadership

    See More
  • How do Americans View Federal Agencies?

    See More
  • The EMV Transition – A 6-Month Checkup

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • security culture.webp

    Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

  • school security.jpg

    School Security: How to Build and Strengthen a School Safety Program

  • facility manager.jpg

    The Facility Manager's Guide to Safety and Security

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing