A contact element is provided. The contact element has a composite wire. The composite wire has a core made of steel or a steel alloy, a copper alloy layer surrounding the core and a metallic coating applied to the copper alloy layer. The contact element is configured as a connecting wire, a connection wire, a cable wire, a cable strand, a plug-in pin for plug connectors, a weaving wire, a woven wire mesh, a knitted wire mesh or a spring element.