Using cell phones with credit card functions to make purchases is expected to be a big thing this year as major credit card firms scramble to get shops and stores to accept such payments.

The reward could be lucrative -- the new market is estimated to be worth 60 trillion yen.

NTT DoCoMo Inc. executive Takeshi Natsuno said a service allowing consumers to hold mobile phones over contactless credit card readers to pay for goods is likely to become more commonplace this year.