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Walmart Keeps Apple Pay and All NFC Tap-to-Pay Out of U.S. Stores

The retailer steers purchases through its QR-based apps to keep transactions linked to customer accounts.

Overview

  • Walmart confirms it does not accept NFC payments in the United States, citing Walmart Pay as its preferred mobile option.
  • Updated checkout terminals reportedly have NFC capability, yet the feature is manually disabled to direct shoppers to Walmart Pay.
  • Walmart Pay launched in 2016 as a QR-based system in the Walmart app, and Apple Pay is also not supported within Scan & Go for Walmart+ members.
  • There is no extra fee for merchants to accept Apple Pay beyond standard card processing costs, with Apple’s charges typically borne by issuing banks.
  • Most Walmart locations in Canada accept Apple Pay, and major U.S. chains like Kroger, Home Depot, and H‑E‑B now support it, fueling ongoing customer frustration with Walmart’s stance.