Apple has announced the rollout of Tap to Pay on iPhone in the United Arab Emirates, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and large retailers in the country to use iPhones as a payment terminal.
Introduced in February 2022, the feature allows individuals and merchants with an iPhone XS or newer to accept contactless payments through supported iPhone apps. The merchant simply holds out their iPhone, and the customer holds their iPhone, Apple Watch, another digital wallet, or contactless credit card near the device and a secure payment will be made via NFC technology.
No additional hardware or credit card machine is required to use Tap to Pay on iPhone. The feature uses NFC technology to securely authenticate contactless payments, plus the feature also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options. All transactions made using Tap to Pay on iPhone are encrypted and processed using the Secure Element, and Apple doesn’t know what is being purchased or who is buying it.
“As contactless payments become increasingly popular, German companies are turning to a variety of payment methods and hardware to meet customers’ payment needs. With Tap to Pay on iPhone, merchants now have an incredibly secure and convenient way to accept contactless payments with iPhone without the need for additional hardware,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “In collaboration with payment platforms, app developers and payment networks, we are making it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes — from small shops to large retail chains — to accept contactless payments and continue to grow their business.”
Payment platforms and developers can integrate Tap to Pay on iPhone into their iOS apps, making it easy for merchants to enable this secure and convenient feature. Adyen, Magnati, and Network International are the first payment platforms in the UAE to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone, which works with cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.
Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Taiwan, the UAE, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
