Some 900,000 shop tills, that's 98% of those in the UK, have now been upgraded to accept Chip and PIN cards.
The UK payment association, APACS, issued the news one year on from the
official UK changeover to the more secure system.
The figure is an increase of more than 75,000 tills since PIN day on February 14, 2006. APACS estimates that more than 185 Chip and PIN transactions take place every second, compared with 125 a second one year ago. It also said retailers had reported faster transaction times and fewer queues.
Retailers who offer card payments but have not upgraded to Chip and PIN have been reminded they will be liable for card fraud carried out on their premises.
Retailer Atul Karavadra runs two Londis stores in Northampton. He said: "All stores should offer Chip and PIN if possible. I'm very happy with the system and so are our customers. There were a few teething problems at first, but everything's fine now. If we didn't offer the option of paying by card we'd definitely miss out on sales."
The Association of Convenience Stores also urged retailers to make the switch. Public affairs manager Shane Brennan added: "Our advice to retailers is that Chip and PIN is here to stay and that customers expect to see it. There are real benefits for retailers who offer card payment, including increased custom.
"The safest way to do this is through Chip and PIN. There is, of course, an initial cost involved and ultimately it is a choice for each individual business to make."