Here’s why Walmart still doesn’t support Apple Pay - 9to5Mac

Here’s why Walmart still doesn’t support Apple Pay - 9to5Mac
January 18, 2026 at 8:00 PM

Even in 2026, Walmart remains one of the last major U.S. retailers without Apple Pay at checkout. The company also blocks all other NFC options, from Google Pay and Samsung Pay to simple tap-to-pay cards.

What Walmart allows instead

  • Walmart Pay (launched 2016): a QR code system inside the Walmart app. You add a debit or credit card to the app, then scan a code at checkout. It works, but it is slower and less seamless than tapping with Apple Pay.
  • Scan & Go (for Walmart+): you scan items as you shop and finish at self-checkout. Apple Pay is not supported here either.

Why Apple Pay is still off-limits in the U.S.

  • Data and control: Walmart builds detailed profiles of purchasing behavior to power ads and marketing. Walmart Pay and Scan & Go link transactions directly to your Walmart account, making that data capture easy. Apple Pay, with tokenization and card privacy, limits what a retailer can see.
  • Walmart’s convenience claim: the company says Walmart Pay is more convenient for shoppers, a point many customers dispute.
  • Not about extra Apple fees: merchants do not pay a special Apple Pay surcharge; they pay standard card processing fees. Apple’s cut is typically with issuing banks, not retailers.
  • Hardware is not the blocker: many stores already use terminals that support NFC, but Walmart disables NFC to steer customers to Walmart Pay.

Important regional caveat

  • Most Walmart locations in Canada accept Apple Pay. The NFC ban applies to U.S. stores.

What shoppers are saying

  • Frustration keeps bubbling up on social media as competitors like Kroger, Home Depot, and H‑E‑B have embraced Apple Pay. Walmart, however, shows no sign of changing course.

Bottom line
Walmart’s stance prioritizes first-party data and ecosystem control over the convenience and privacy benefits of contactless standards like Apple Pay. If tap-to-pay matters to you, this policy may influence where you shop.

Source: https://9to5mac.com/2026/01/18/heres-why-walmart-still-doesnt-support-apple-pay/

Back…