RFID or Radio Frequency Identification is the process by which items are uniquely identified using radio waves.
NFC or Near-Field Communication is a specialized subset within the family of RFID technology. The latter is designed to be a secure form of data exchange. In addition, an NFC device is capable of acting as both a reader and a tag. Unlike RFID devices, NFC is a form of peer-to-peer communication. That is why NFC is a popular choice for contactless payment methods included in newer smartphones.