Walmart Ends Holdout on Apple Pay, Google Pay
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The retail giant will roll out tap-to-pay capabilities across its U.S. stores by the end of 2026 and fuel stations by mid-2027.
Walmart announced Friday that it will begin accepting Apple Pay and Google Pay at select Walmart and Sam’s Club locations starting August 24. According to reporting from The Verge and TechCrunch, the company plans to expand tap-to-pay support to all U.S. stores by the end of 2026, with fuel stations expected to follow by mid-2027.
The move marks a significant pivot for the retailer, which TechCrunch notes had long resisted the ubiquitous technology to promote in-house alternatives such as Scan-and-Go and Walmart Pay, the latter of which launched in 2016. The Verge reports that Walmart previously backed CurrentC, a short-lived mobile payment service that TechCrunch says was an attempt by several large retailers to compete with Apple Pay before shutting down in 2016.
While a Walmart spokesperson previously told MacRumors that the company already provided convenient solutions, the company now states that providing customers and members more choice at checkout is part of an effort to make managing money easier. TechCrunch reports that Apple Pay is currently accepted at 85% of U.S. retailers, including most large stores, suggesting that Walmart's previous refusal to adopt the technology disadvantaged its customers.