Apple Pay revolutionized mobile payments in the US over a decade ago, but Walmart remains a holdout, despite the increasing number of retailers adopting contactless payments. While most retailers have embraced Apple Pay, Walmart’s reluctance is frustrating for many customers.
In Canada, Walmart eventually enabled contactless payments, including Apple Pay, during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Walmart’s US arm continues to resist, promoting its own payment platform, Walmart Pay.
The Ghost of CurrentC: A War for Your Data
In 2015, a coalition of top US retailers, including Walmart, planned to launch CurrentC to compete with Apple Pay and gather more customer data. CurrentC failed, but Walmart continued with its own platform, Walmart Pay, which gained some success in the US.
The North-South Divide: Why Canada Has It and the US Doesn’t
Walmart Pay’s success in the US and Walmart Canada’s lack of a similar platform explain why Walmart US has not embraced Apple Pay. Despite the benefits of contactless payments, Walmart US has chosen to disable NFC capabilities on its terminals, pushing customers towards less secure payment methods like Walmart Pay.
While Walmart Canada eventually upgraded its terminals to support contactless payments, Walmart US continues to prioritize Walmart Pay over Apple Pay, citing convenience for customers.
