For those betting on which technologies would emerge from the pandemic stronger than before, contactless payments seemed like a safe one. For years, most Americans ignored features from Apple, Samsung and Google that let users hold their phones near checkout-stand readers to pay. A nation of borrowers found reaching for the physical credit card was still too easy. Plus, too many stores weren’t set up for touchless pay.

The coronavirus pandemic could finally get more shoppers to change. Suddenly we are all immersed in the same exercise: touch as little as possible. Contactless payment use jumped in late March, according to one survey. Today Juro and Nick reported that Google is planning an overhaul of Google Pay for the U.S., hoping to transform it into a commerce portal.