(Reuters) - Some 100 million cellphones using Near-field Communication (NFC) technology will be sold this year, with sales more than tripling from a year ago, research firm Berg Insight said on Monday.

Handset vendors released more than 40 NFC-enabled models in 2011, hoping to tap emerging market for mobile payments.

NFC enables data to be exchanged wirelessly over distances of a few centimeters, meaning mobile phones can be used to pay for goods, store electronic tickets, download music and swap photos and business cards.

Berg Insight said it expects the global market for NFC phones to grow to 700 million phones in 2016 from 30 million in 2011.

NXP Semiconductor is the leading manufacturer of NFC chips, while also Inside Secure (INSD.PA) has won some deals

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