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Apple ‘Tap to Pay’ Expands Retailers’ Contactless Payment Options

Beginning later this year, U.S. retailers will be able to accept contactless customer payments on their Apple iPhones via its new Tap to Pay functionality. Consumers will be able to use their credit and debit cards, Apple Pay or other digital wallets to purchase items, with no additional POS hardware or payment terminal required to complete transactions.

Tap to Pay on iPhone will be available to participating payment platforms and their app developer partners to leverage in software developer kits (SDKs) in an upcoming iOS software beta. Stripe will be the first payment platform to offer the service to business customers, including the Shopify Point of Sale app this spring. Additional payment platforms and apps will follow later in 2022, according to the company.

“Whether you’re a salesperson at an internet-first retailer or an individual entrepreneur, you can soon accept contactless payments on a device that’s already in your pocket: your iPhone,” said Billy Alvarado, Chief Business Officer at Stripe in a statement. “With Tap to Pay on iPhone, millions of businesses using Stripe can enhance their in-person commerce experience by offering their customers a fast and secure checkout.”

Retailers will be able to accept contactless payments through a supporting iOS app on an iPhone XS or later device. Customers that want to use Apple Pay will bring their iPhone or Apple Watch into contact with the retailer’s iPhone; for other payment types, customers will use contactless credit or debit cards or other digital wallets to the iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using NFC technology.

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“As more and more consumers are tapping to pay with digital wallets and credit cards, Tap to Pay on iPhone will provide businesses with a secure, private and easy way to accept contactless payments and unlock new checkout experiences using the power, security and convenience of iPhone,” said Jennifer Bailey, VP of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet in a statement.

“The popularity of payment methods such as digital wallets has increased greatly in recent years, with 27% of today’s consumers in the United States paying with a digital wallet, up from 22% in 2019,” said Andrew Edem, Global Head of Innovation at payment solution provider PPRO in comments supplied to Retail TouchPoints. “It’s crucial that retailers are equipped with the right technology and infrastructure to not only enable these payment methods, but create seamless user experiences that make shopping easy for consumers, wherever they are.”

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