“Apple Pay is picking up a huge wave of newly added banks and credit unions across the United States to support the mobile payment service,” Zac Hall reports for 9to5Mac.
“Following a couple dozen more banks lighting up earlier this month,” Hall reports, “Apple has added over 70 additional participating banks to its list of active partners including HSBC in the US.”
“That massive wave of new partners comes just as signs that Apple Pay in Canada is getting ready to launch,” Hall reports. “Just a week ago TD Canada shared on its website that Apple Pay is coming soon. That detail comes after 9to5Mac and others have reported that Apple is targeting Apple Pay in Canada for this year. China has also been a clear target for Apple Pay launching. Apple Pay is currently limited to the US and UK, which joined this summer.”
Full list of the latest banks and credit unions that now work with Apple Pay here.
MacDailyNews Take: Excellent news for U.S. Apple Pay users, but, when it comes to countries, this thing is on a glacial rollout schedule. We’ve seen faster rollouts in a molasses taffy factory. More countries, Apple, please!
SEE ALSO:
Apple Pay should benefit immensely from Starbucks partnership, international expansion – October 14, 2015
Bank website outs Apple Pay debut in Canada – October 13, 2015
Starbucks, KFC, and Chili’s to accept Apple Pay this year – October 8, 2015
Apple starts Shanghai tech service company to bring Apple Pay to China – September 17, 2015
Apple Pay in Australia faces $2 billion fee sticking point with Aussie bankers – August 17, 2015
Apple Pay launches in the UK – July 14, 2015
Apple Pay launches today and retail will never be the same – October 20, 2014
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Bill” for the heads up.]
How long did it take to roll out MasterCard or VISA?
It takes time in one of the most conservative industries. Unless the banks have an angle to untold riches, then they will dive head first in.
Momentum. There is a lot of chatter about the failure of Apple Pay to catch on. Oh…it’s catching on. It’s a Chicken/Egg conundrum. Apple can’t do a lot about making merchants install and set up equipment to accept Apple Pay (although I’m sure they are working on it), but they are doing fabulous job at prepping the financial institutions to support that pay equipment. Apple is continuing its march to make accepting Apple Pay a no-brainer for merchants. When the tipping point is reached, there will be an explosion of Apply Pay accepting merchants and its use will be ubiquitous. The pay-off of Apple and iOS users is on the cusp.
More stores! That’s what we need is more vendors willing to take the payments. I had to change grocery stores and it sucks.
Check TD Bank’s contactless payment options: they are trying to come up with their own CurrentC type copycat Android friendly piece of junk system and are trying to marginalize Apple Pay.
Our banks are running scared and trying to force Apple into giving them the Apple Pay services for free. The sticking point: the tiny, less than a fraction of a % fee for the transactions.
We need more business supporting apple pay. You can have all the banks in the world, but without the business, it is totally worthless.
That’s it, glor.
Countries are much harder for Apple. America has SO many banks. In Australia there are only 4 large ones and a smattering of smaller financial institutions like credit unions and building societies. NZ and Europe are much the same, and most of Asia and Africa likewise.
Here the payments system is run by the banks, is efficient and the fees are low.
Also the US was way behind the 8-ball with pin and chip cards and smart terminals. We have been tapping our cards at the checkout for ages. No signature, no pin, just tap and go.
It’s hard to make a business case for Apple Pay outside the US.
Our local Best Buy has finally turned on Apple Pay. We used it this weekend here in Sacramento.
Unfortunately, our cashier didn’t know about it. When we asked, the cashier a register over heard us and said yes, and it worked great. Our cashier was wearing a Samsung Gear watch, so it was great to swipe our Apple Watch to pay as he learned how well it worked.
@MDN I don’t know about Europe or other Asian countries, but I’m sure it is a major headache trying to get things done in Japan. “We are unique”, the “ol’ boys club” and many other attitudes and barriers that exist here are bound to delay its rollout here in Japan.
Forget about more countries (well sure, add them, but…): add more RETAILERS who accept Apple Pay. Even in countries that have Apple Pay, there are not nearly enough places that accept it. That, IMHO, is a bigger problem than bank support at this time. We need a major grocery store chain to start accepting it here (not Whole Foods: too expensive to shop at regularly). That would make the biggest daily difference for me.
Apple Pay is a FLOP. Only place I found that takes Apple Pay (real Apple Pay) is McDonalds and Sprouts Grocery. Even if the store has the wireless pay symbol it’s not truly Apple Pay because you still must enter a pin and/or sign. So What’s the point? Apple Pay is a FLOP
70 new banks! Great. However, it still does not except the promised BJ’s Master Card.