NAB this week announced a partnership with VeriFone to deploy mobile payments technology, including a sleeve for iPhone and iPad that turn the devices into payment terminals for merchants. The companies will also be rolling out new EFTPOS terminals including an embedded contactless reader.

ANZ announced last week that it's trialling an NFC-based mobile wallet for Android phones as part of a . The trial includes 25 ANZ employees and the bank aims to make NFC available to customers in mid-2013.

"While NFC is likely to play an important role in facilitating further mobile technology developments, it is only one component," Clarke said.