Walmart Inc. does not accept Apple Pay and other near-field communication (NFC) payment methods in its U.S. stores as of 2026, marking it among the last major retailers to omit support for Apple’s contactless platform. The retailer disables NFC features on its updated payment terminals, directing customers toward its proprietary payment systems.
The company has maintained its stance since launching Walmart Pay in 2016, a QR code-based system that operates through the Walmart app. Walmart Scan & Go, available to Walmart+ subscribers, also does not support Apple Pay; this platform allows users to scan items via the Walmart or Sam’s Club app and finalize purchases at self-checkout.
Walmart’s strategy facilitates data collection on purchasing patterns and trends, which the company utilizes for targeted advertising and marketing. Using Walmart Pay or Scan & Go links transaction data directly to a customer’s Walmart account, providing the retailer with comprehensive purchasing profiles. Apple Pay’s privacy features, which include not sharing card information with retailers, limit this data collection.
Contrary to a common theory, Walmart incurs no additional fees from Apple for accepting Apple Pay; businesses pay standard card processing fees regardless of whether a transaction is contactless. Apple typically charges fees to issuing banks.
In a statement last year, Walmart promoted Walmart Pay as a more convenient solution than Apple Pay, citing its touchless payment functionality for any smartphone and investments in technologies like Scan & Go. Walmart indicated its focus on internal solutions, stating, “We do not accept NFC and instead have implemented convenient solutions, such as Walmart Pay, that provide our customers easy, touchless payments on any smartphone. We have also invested in innovative technologies that go beyond payments, such as Scan & Go, which allow Sam’s Club and Walmart+ members to bypass the checkout altogether, providing a truly touchless shopping experience.”
Other retailers that previously did not support Apple Pay, including Kroger, Home Depot, and H-E-B, have since adopted the payment method. Walmart’s Canadian locations generally accept Apple Pay.
