Walmart to Add Apple Pay Support in All U.S. Stores by End of 2026
On August 21, 2026, Bloomberg reported that Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ: WMT) will begin accepting Apple Pay and Google Pay across all its U.S. stores and Sam's Club locations by the end of 2026. The rollout starts on August 24 at select locations, with fuel stations expected to support contactless payments by mid-2027. Walmart had previously used a proprietary QR-based payment system called Walmart Pay but is now adopting NFC technology for Apple and Google's digital wallets. For Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), this marks the closing of one of the last major retail gaps in its mobile wallet adoption, reinforcing Apple Pay as the dominant U.S. mobile payment option with a 92% market share according to Capital One data. The integration is expected to significantly increase transaction volume for Apple without requiring new user acquisition. However, Walmart will be sharing customer transaction data that it previously controlled through its own system. Analysts suggest this move may not have major financial implications for either company but serves as a strategic win in visibility and convenience.
Topics: Apple Pay contactless payments retail technology Walmart