Walmart (WMT) to Add Apple (AAPL)’s Apple Pay Support in Push for Contactless Payments

Walmart Inc. (WMT) is set to integrate Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) Apple Pay service across all its U.S. stores and Sam's Club locations by year-end 2026, Bloomberg reported on August 21, 2026. The rollout will commence on August 24 at select locations, with fuel stations gaining the capability by mid-2027. Walmart has traditionally relied on its own proprietary Walmart Pay system, which uses QR-code technology for transaction control, rather than supporting near-field communication wallets like Apple Pay. This decision marks a shift from its previous stance.

Customers will be able to tap contactless cards, phones, or smartwatches at checkout, adding Walmart, Sam's Club, or OnePay cards to their digital wallets. Apple Pay, which currently holds roughly 92% market share among U.S. mobile wallets, will thus become an integral part of Walmart's payment system, closing one of the last major gaps in Apple Pay's retail coverage. Over 90% of U.S. retailers already accept Apple Pay, reinforcing its position as the default mobile wallet at checkout.

This move is expected to benefit Apple by granting the company access to Walmart's enormous foot traffic and existing user base, which is on pace to grow from 70 million to over 84 million users over the next four years, according to Capital One data. For Walmart, the upgrade aims to reduce checkout friction and address shopper complaints, a move that becomes increasingly crucial as agentic and NFC payments become standard shopping behavior.

However, Walmart will relinquish some control over transaction data and marketing potential, which it traditionally retained through its QR-based system.

While the financial upside per transaction may be modest for Apple, the deal's headline significance is substantial. The rollout occurs during a soft patch for Walmart's core business, following recent quarterly results indicating slowest U.S. comparable sales growth in recent quarters. Although the upgrade doesn't directly address Walmart's fundamental sales momentum, it does enhance the shopping experience and could help stabilize sales growth.

For Apple, the financial benefits are potentially limited, but the deal positions Apple Pay as a widely accepted mobile payment solution, enhancing its services revenue indirectly.