Apple expands Tap to Pay on iPhone to the UK

Apple is expanding its Tap to Pay feature to UK users, the company announced this Thursday. With that, businesses across the United Kingdom can now accept in-person contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone.

Apple says 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, and other digital wallets using only their iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app.”

Tap to Pay on iPhone is available for payment platforms and app developers in the UK to integrate into their iOS apps and offer 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 UK 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 UK 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 UK 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.”

How does Tap to Pay work?

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 wallets near the merchant’s iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using NFC technology.

Apple says that 99% of UK retailers accept Apple Pay, and with this new capability, virtually every business, big or small, can use this new feature at checkout. Tap to Pay on iPhone will work with contactless credit and debit cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.