Apple today posted a letter celebrating the upcoming 10th birthday of Apple Pay. Apple’s contactless payments system launched in the U.S. on October 20, 2014, alongside the release of iOS 8.1.
Today, Apple Pay is used by hundreds of millions of consumers in over 75 countries and regions, and the vast majority of retailers in the U.S. now accept contactless payments, with one notable holdout being Walmart. Last week, we reported that two long-time holdouts, popular home improvement retailer Home Depot and Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B will soon be accepting Apple Pay and other tap-to-pay payment methods in their U.S. stores.
Apple Pay is supported by more than 11,000 bank and network partners. The payments system can be used across many Apple devices, including iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac.
Apple today also announced new Klarna and PayPal integrations for Apple Pay.
Eligible customers in the U.S. and U.K. will now have access to financing through “buy now, pay later” service Klarna when checking out with Apple Pay on the web and in apps on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. Starting next year, PayPal customers in the U.S. will be able to see their balance when using their PayPal debit card in the iPhone’s Wallet app.
The full letter from Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet is as follows:
When we started our journey with Apple Pay 10 years ago, we saw a unique opportunity to leverage Apple’s hardware and software to make a meaningful impact on the financial health and lives of our customers. From the outset, we envisioned a world where you could use your iPhone to seamlessly pay for everything — from groceries to train tickets, in person and online, across the globe — all while keeping your personal and financial information safe and private.
Today, Apple Pay is used by hundreds of millions of consumers in 78 markets, at checkout on millions of websites and apps, in tens of millions of stores worldwide, and is supported by more than 11,000 bank and network partners. We hear from customers every day about how much they love the ease, security, and privacy protections Apple Pay provides in their daily lives, and how much they enjoy using it across their devices — including iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac.
One of my earliest memories of realizing how Apple Pay was positively impacting consumers’ lives was when we rolled out Apple Pay for transit in Tokyo, which is used by millions of travelers every day. I watched in awe as people quickly tapped their iPhone or Apple Watch to pay while passing through the turnstiles — no need to fish out any cash, cards, or coins from their wallets, or even unlock or wake their device. It’s a great example of how Apple Pay’s seamless and secure customer experience delivers convenience and peace of mind to consumers around the world, whether they’re commuting to work, shopping online, or picking up their morning coffee.
We know how important it is for customers to feel secure and trust that their financial transactions are private when making a payment. That’s why we’re always working to safeguard consumers, while also enabling banks to have industry-low levels of fraud for Apple Pay transactions. And it’s also why Apple Pay was designed to protect users’ highly sensitive personal and financial information, like their card number, which is never shared with merchants. Our customers trust that when they use Apple Pay anywhere, they can have the peace of mind that their payments are protected.
Looking ahead at what’s next for Apple Pay, we are excited to now bring our users more ways to pay, including the option to redeem rewards and access installment loans from Apple Pay-enabled issuers and lenders right at checkout with Apple Pay online and in-app on iPhone and iPad. This gives consumers greater flexibility in how they pay with the easy and trusted Apple Pay experience they already know and love. It also provides Apple Pay-enabled issuers and lenders with new ways to connect with their customers, and make their rewards and installment offerings even more accessible.
Beyond payments, we’re also advancing our broader vision of replacing users’ physical wallets with an easy, secure, and private digital wallet — Apple Wallet. Today, users can seamlessly and securely add and access eligible event tickets, transit cards, keys, government IDs, and more all from Apple Wallet. And we’re always looking for new ways to make using Apple Wallet convenient while delivering unparalleled security and peace of mind.
The last decade was an incredible journey, and we’re thrilled that so many people around the world are enjoying the experience that Apple Pay and Apple Wallet provide. I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years have in store.
— Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet