Block Inc. Wireless Tap Transaction System via Mobile Device
Summary
USPTO publishes patent application US20260111889A1 assigned to Block, Inc., inventors Gustaf Engstrom and Ashutosh Dhodapkar, titled 'System and Method for Wireless Tap Transactions with a Physical Instrument and Mobile Device.' The application describes a mobile device application that displays a transaction amount, prompts a user to tap a physical instrument (e.g., payment card) to the device, and uses a wireless communication module to read identifier information from the instrument to authorize and initiate a transaction between accounts. This is a patent application publication; no compliance obligations or regulatory requirements are created for the regulated community.
“Based on the read identifier information, the mobile device receives authorization to conduct the transaction between a first account associated with the physical instrument and a second account associated with the mobile device.”
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GovPing monitors USPTO Patent Applications - Business Methods (G06Q) for new banking & finance regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 33 changes logged to date.
What changed
USPTO published patent application US20260111889A1 for Block, Inc., covering a system enabling mobile devices to conduct wireless tap transactions with physical instruments. The application describes a mobile app that presents an amount, prompts a user to tap a physical instrument to the device, activates a wireless communication module to read identifier data from the instrument, and initiates a transaction between accounts based on that authorization. The invention appears to support NFC-based tap-to-pay functionality connecting physical payment instruments with mobile device accounts.
For the regulated community, this publication does not create compliance obligations, enforcement actions, or new regulatory requirements. It represents an intellectual property filing by a payment technology company describing a specific transaction method. Parties monitoring the payments and fintech landscape may note the patent's claims regarding wireless tap transaction authorization for competitive intelligence or freedom-to-operate purposes, but no immediate regulatory action is triggered.
Archived snapshot
Apr 25, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS TAP TRANSACTIONS WITH A PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT AND MOBILE DEVICE
Application US20260111889A1 Kind: A1 Apr 23, 2026
Assignee
Block, Inc.
Inventors
Gustaf Engstrom, Ashutosh Dhodapkar
Abstract
An application at a mobile device displays a user interface with an amount. Responsive to receiving a user selection of a button at the mobile device, the application presents an indication to tap a physical instrument to the mobile device to conduct a transaction for the amount. A wireless communication module of the mobile device is activated to read data from nearby wireless communication modules. Based on a tap of a physical instrument to the mobile device, the wireless communication module of the mobile device wirelessly reads identifier information of the physical instrument from a wireless communication module of the physical instrument. Based on the read identifier information, the mobile device receives authorization to conduct the transaction between a first account associated with the physical instrument and a second account associated with the mobile device. The transaction is then initiated based on the authorization.
CPC Classifications
G06Q 20/40 G06Q 20/3255 G06Q 20/3278 G06Q 20/353
Filing Date
2024-10-21
Application No.
18921692
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