After years of resisting Apple’s mobile payment system, Walmart is finally rolling out Apple Pay and other contactless options.
The world’s largest retailer announced Friday that it will begin accepting Tap to Pay — including Apple Pay — at select U.S. Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations starting August 24, 2026. The company plans to expand the feature to all its U.S. stores and clubs by the end of 2026, with fuel stations following by mid-2027. The new options will also work on Walmart’s websites and apps.
Customers and members will be able to pay by tapping eligible contactless cards, phones, or smartwatches. They can also add their Walmart, Sam’s Club, and OnePay cards to digital wallets for easier use. Walmart framed the move as part of a broader effort to give shoppers more choice and make checkout simpler and more convenient, alongside existing methods such as cash, traditional cards, Walmart Pay, and Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go.
In a nutshell: after a long holdout, Walmart is finally getting Apple Pay. The retailer had long preferred its own payment tools and other systems, making the embrace of contactless digital wallets a notable change in its checkout strategy.
MacDailyNews Take: As a general rule of thumb, we avoid Walmart due to olfactory sensitivity not limited just to Chinese plastics.
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About flipping time. Trying to use their Walmart app to pay has always been craptacular. MDN’s snootiness aside, best place to get motor oil.
We have a Walmart, Food City, & Publix within 3 minutes of our house. As much as I despise the “ambience” at Walmart, they are still the best place to purchase certain necessities.
Having two competing stores very close has also forced Walmart to noticeably “up their game.” I’m guessing that without competition nearby, going to Walmart would be a much less pleasant experience.
just noticed the support MDN by using link to amazon. Do you have to launch from here every time to get support for MDN, or will going there once from the link work all the time??
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It is about time! I have reduced my Walmart shopping by about 80% over the years due to not being able to use Apple Pay. The thought of handing over my credit card info to retailers was something I avoided for some time now.