SAN FRANCISCO — If the stars align, contactless payment cards will lead the way to the future of mobile payments.

In a new report, Javelin Strategy & Research (www.javelinstrategy.com) projects that industry-wide cooperation could lead to more than 57 million consumers using chip-embedded credit cards to make contactless payments by 2013, compared with 24.8 million expected to this year.

Gift and private label cards would lead the expansion. The report estimates that number to be only 34 million five years from now if the major players don't get together.

Meanwhile, “tap-and-go contactless payments will pave the way for cell phones and handheld computers to become 'electronic wallets,' packed with consumers' payment and merchant cards, coupon offers, even medical records, family pictures and more,” said James Van Dyke, the think firm's founder and president.

“But consumers won't benefit until the primary players–card networks, financial institutions, mobile carriers, merchants and handset manufacturers–work together toward a unified, simple solution that lets everyone win,” Van Dyke said.