Finextra reports that NatWest-owner RBS has begun a contactless payments trial, giving 1000 customers NFC-enabled iPhone cases ahead of a wider roll out. “For the TouchPay trial, the banks are sending customers a free iCarte case that provides two-way NFC communications from an iPhone 4s and iPhone 4 to Visa PayWave terminals,” notes the report.

Once the case is attached, users are prompted to follow on-screen instructions to download the TouchPay app from the Apple App Store. They can then use their phone for contactless transactions of up to £20 and track their spending through the app. The bank hopes to make TouchPay available to all consumers once the trial is over. Interestingly, the iPhone itself does not support NFC technology.