A remote control for controlling a receiver associated with the remote control, such as a television. The remote control comprises a communication mechanism for communicating with the receiver, an active NFC reader for communicating with an active or passive NFC device, and a mechanism for transmitting the information received from the NFC device to the receiver. The remote control allows the use of a near field communication (NFC) portable device (e.g., card or smartphone) for transactions using a receiver.