Apple introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone in the U.K. (2024)

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PRESS RELEASE 13 July 2023

Merchants can now accept Apple Pay and other contactless payments simply by using iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app

Tap to Pay on iPhone enables businesses to seamlessly and securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets simply by using an iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app.

LONDONApple today announced businesses across the United Kingdom can now accept in-person contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone. The new capability will empower millions of merchants, from small businesses to large retailers, to use their iPhone to seamlessly and securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards,1 and other digital wallets using only their iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app — no additional hardware or payment terminal needed.

Tap to Pay on iPhone is available for payment platforms and app developers in the U.K. to integrate into their iOS apps and offer as a payment acceptance option to their business customers. Revolut and Tyl by NatWest are the first payment platforms to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to their U.K. business customers, with Adyen, Dojo, myPOS, Stripe, SumUp, Viva Wallet, Worldline, and Zettle by PayPal coming soon. Tap to Pay on iPhone will also roll out to Apple Store locations in the U.K. in the coming weeks.

“We’ve seen Tap to Pay on iPhone transform the checkout experience for so many different types of businesses, and we’re thrilled to now support merchants across the U.K. by offering an easy, secure, and private way to accept contactless payments using the power, security, and convenience of iPhone, with no additional hardware needed,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “Small and medium-sized businesses have long played a vital role in the U.K. economy, and alongside payment platforms, app developers, and payment networks, we’re making it easier than ever for U.K. businesses to seamlessly accept contactless payments and continue to grow their business.”

With Tap to Pay on iPhone, merchants can unlock contactless payment acceptance through a supporting iOS app on an iPhone Xs or later device running the latest iOS version. At checkout, the merchant will simply prompt the customer to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch to pay with Apple Pay, their contactless credit or debit card, or other digital wallet near the merchant’s iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using NFC technology.2 No additional hardware is needed to accept contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone, so businesses in the U.K. can accept payments from wherever they do business. Apple Pay is already accepted at more than 99 percent of U.K. retailers, and with this new capability, virtually every business, big or small, can use Tap to Pay on iPhone at checkout.

Privacy is fundamental in the design and development across all of Apple’s payment features. With Tap to Pay on iPhone, customers’ payment data is protected by the same technology that makes Apple Pay private and secure. All transactions made using Tap to Pay on iPhone are encrypted and processed using the Secure Element, and as with Apple Pay, Apple doesn’t know what is being purchased or who is buying it.

Apple is working closely with leading payment platforms and app developers across the payments and commerce industry to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone in the U.K. Tap to Pay on iPhone complements and enhances the robust suite of payment and commerce tools that payment platforms and app developers provide to their merchant customers to help them run and grow their businesses. Tap to Pay on iPhone will work with contactless credit and debit cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.

“We are excited to be among the first to bring Tap to Pay on iPhone to businesses of all sizes in the U.K. Our goal is to give our customers products and services that allow them to accept payments in a secure and convenient manner,” said Alex Codina, Revolut’s general manager of Merchant Acquiring. “With Tap to Pay on iPhone, we expect to see all kinds of businesses — from freelancers and sole traders to retail shops and barbershops, food stands, and more — quickly start accepting contactless payments with only an iPhone.”

No additional hardware is needed to accept contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone, so businesses can accept payments from wherever they do business.

“Customers now expect the convenience and wider choice of using contactless payments to make seamless and secure purchases wherever they shop,” said Mark Brant, NatWest’s chief payments officer. “Equally, entrepreneurs and businesses are always looking for ways to streamline their operations, boost sales, and connect with their customers regardless of location, all while benefiting from tech to make their own sales experience seamless. And aspiring entrepreneurs just need a good business idea and an iPhone to start getting paid — enabling a whole new wave of opportunities. Tap to Pay on iPhone within the NatWest Tap to Pay app enables us to meet all of these needs and put contactless payments into the pockets of businesses, optimising the in-person payment experience for all.”

Tap to Pay on iPhone is available to participating payment platforms and their app developer partners to leverage in their software development kits (SDKs) now. More information can be found on theApple Developer website.

  • Text of this article

    13 July 2023

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone in the U.K.

    Merchants can now accept Apple Pay and other contactless payments simply by using iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app

    LONDONApple today announced businesses across the United Kingdom can now accept in-person contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone. The new capability will empower millions of merchants, from small businesses to large retailers, to use their iPhone to seamlessly and securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards,1 and other digital wallets using only their iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app — no additional hardware or payment terminal needed.

    Tap to Pay on iPhone is available for payment platforms and app developers in the U.K. to integrate into their iOS apps and offer as a payment acceptance option to their business customers. Revolut and Tyl by NatWest are the first payment platforms to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to their U.K. business customers, with Adyen, Dojo, myPOS, Stripe, SumUp, Viva Wallet, Worldline, and Zettle by PayPal coming soon. Tap to Pay on iPhone will also roll out to Apple Store locations in the U.K. in the coming weeks.

    “We’ve seen Tap to Pay on iPhone transform the checkout experience for so many different types of businesses, and we’re thrilled to now support merchants across the U.K. by offering an easy, secure, and private way to accept contactless payments using the power, security, and convenience of iPhone, with no additional hardware needed,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “Small and medium-sized businesses have long played a vital role in the U.K. economy, and alongside payment platforms, app developers, and payment networks, we’re making it easier than ever for U.K. businesses to seamlessly accept contactless payments and continue to grow their business.”

    With Tap to Pay on iPhone, merchants can unlock contactless payment acceptance through a supporting iOS app on an iPhone Xs or later device running the latest iOS version. At checkout, the merchant will simply prompt the customer to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch to pay with Apple Pay, their contactless credit or debit card, or other digital wallet near the merchant’s iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using NFC technology.2 No additional hardware is needed to accept contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone, so businesses in the U.K. can accept payments from wherever they do business. Apple Pay is already accepted at more than 99 percent of U.K. retailers, and with this new capability, virtually every business, big or small, can use Tap to Pay on iPhone at checkout.

    Privacy is fundamental in the design and development across all of Apple’s payment features. With Tap to Pay on iPhone, customers’ payment data is protected by the same technology that makes Apple Pay private and secure. All transactions made using Tap to Pay on iPhone are encrypted and processed using the Secure Element, and as with Apple Pay, Apple doesn’t know what is being purchased or who is buying it.

    Apple is working closely with leading payment platforms and app developers across the payments and commerce industry to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone in the U.K. Tap to Pay on iPhone complements and enhances the robust suite of payment and commerce tools that payment platforms and app developers provide to their merchant customers to help them run and grow their businesses. Tap to Pay on iPhone will work with contactless credit and debit cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.

    “We are excited to be among the first to bring Tap to Pay on iPhone to businesses of all sizes in the U.K. Our goal is to give our customers products and services that allow them to accept payments in a secure and convenient manner,” said Alex Codina, Revolut’s general manager of Merchant Acquiring. “With Tap to Pay on iPhone, we expect to see all kinds of businesses — from freelancers and sole traders to retail shops and barbershops, food stands, and more — quickly start accepting contactless payments with only an iPhone.”

    “Customers now expect the convenience and wider choice of using contactless payments to make seamless and secure purchases wherever they shop,” said Mark Brant, NatWest’s chief payments officer. “Equally, entrepreneurs and businesses are always looking for ways to streamline their operations, boost sales, and connect with their customers regardless of location, all while benefiting from tech to make their own sales experience seamless. And aspiring entrepreneurs just need a good business idea and an iPhone to start getting paid — enabling a whole new wave of opportunities. Tap to Pay on iPhone within the NatWest Tap to Pay app enables us to meet all of these needs and put contactless payments into the pockets of businesses, optimising the in-person payment experience for all.”

    Tap to Pay on iPhone is available to participating payment platforms and their app developer partners to leverage in their software development kits (SDKs) now. More information can be found on theApple Developer website.

    About Apple Apple revolutionised personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Some contactless cards may not be accepted.
    2. Transaction limits may apply.

    The Contactless Symbol is a trademark owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC.

    Press Contacts

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.uk@apple.com

    020 3284 6333

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  1. Some contactless cards may not be accepted.
  2. Transaction limits may apply.

The Contactless Symbol is a trademark owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC.

Press Contacts

Apple Media Helpline

media.uk@apple.com

020 3284 6333

Apple introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone in the U.K. (2024)

FAQs

Is tap to Pay on iPhone available in the UK? ›

Tap to Pay on iPhone with NatWest Tap to Pay enables Tyl customers to accept contactless payments directly on their iPhone (iPhone XS or later using iOS 16.4 or later) without the need for any additional physical hardware.

Can you use Apple Pay in the UK on an iPhone? ›

Yes, all retailers who accept contactless payments will accept Apple Pay, whether they're in the UK or overseas.

When did contactless payments start in the UK? ›

The first contactless cards in the UK were issued by Barclaycard in September 2007. PayPass trialed the world's first NFC-enabled phone, the Nokia 6131 NFC, in New York in 2007. In March 2008, Eat became the first restaurant chain to adopt contactless.

Does the UK have tap to Pay? ›

With shops and stores across the UK accepting contactless payments up to £100, tap and pay is the safest way to make your daily purchases.

Is tap available in UK? ›

London: Square today launched Tap to Pay on iPhone across the UK, making it the third market globally where Square will offer the technology to its sellers.

How do I use contactless UK? ›

How to make a contactless payment
  1. Look. Make contactless payments wherever you see this symbol.
  2. Touch. Simply hold your card or device over the reader to pay.
  3. Approve. You will hear a beep or see a green light to show your payment is approved.

When did Apple Pay come out in the UK? ›

Supported countries
Date launchedSupport for payment cards issued in
July 14, 2015United Kingdom (except British Overseas Territories)
November 17, 2015Canada
November 19, 2015Australia
February 18, 2016China (in-app and online payments only)
82 more rows

How many people in the UK use contactless payment? ›

Across the population as a whole, a record 93.4 per cent of all in-store card transactions up to £100 were made using contactless in 2023, and in total there were 7.8 per cent more 'touch and go' transactions than in 2022.

When was tap to pay introduced? ›

Contactless payments, also known as Tap to Pay, arrived in the U.S. in 2014 with the launch of mobile wallets, however adoption remained nascent until 2018 when Visa financial institutions began issuing contactless cards in earnest.

Why doesn t america use contactless? ›

Another contributing factor is the size and fragmentation of the US market, the cost of upgrading every contactless reader was astronomical. There was a belief, wrongly as it turned out, that success in contactless required all merchants to upgrade to NFC all at the same time.

Do most places in the UK take Apple Pay? ›

Apple Pay is widely accepted, so you can most likely use it wherever and however you want. If you're not sure, just ask. Apple Pay works anywhere that takes contactless payments — from vending machines and supermarkets to taxis and train stations.

Is London England cashless? ›

As others have said, most shops etc. will take cash and some independent convenience stores have a minimum spend to use cards. A lot of the 'no cash' restrictions were a response to Covid, although it has accelerated the march towards a cashless society by a number of years, cash is still alive and well.

What stores accept Apple Pay UK? ›

In addition to the 39 Apple Stores in the UK, leading locations for everyday shopping that will accept Apple Pay include Boots UK, Co-op, BP, Costa Coffee, Dune, JD Sports, KFC UK & Ireland, Liberty, LIDL, Marks & Spencer (M&S), McDonald's UK, Nando's, New Look, Post Office, Pret A Manger, SPAR, Starbucks, SUBWAY ...

Is Apple Pay cash available in UK? ›

Sending and receiving money with Apple Pay and the Apple Cash card are only available in the US. These services are provided by Green Dot Bank, member FDIC.

Is Square available in the UK? ›

Card payment acceptance with the Square app is currently available in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France and Spain.

What is the alternative to Apple Pay UK? ›

Wise – An alternative to Apple Pay and PayPal

Open a Wise account online and you can get a contactless Wise card or a virtual card so you can pay securely with a tap and add it to mobile wallets.

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