Walmart Ends Decade-Long Holdout to Accept Apple Pay and Google Pay
The world's largest retailer will roll out contactless payments across all U.S. stores by the end of 2026.
Walmart announced on August 21, 2026, that it will begin accepting contactless "Tap to Pay" payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. The move marks a significant shift for the retail giant, which resisted the technology for over ten years.
The rollout begins August 24, 2026, at select Walmart and Sam's Club locations. The company expects the feature to be available in all U.S. stores and clubs by the end of 2026, with fuel stations following by mid-2027. In an official announcement, Walmart stated that "Tap to Pay is a great addition to the other payment options already offered like cash, credit card or Walmart Pay," adding that providing more choice at checkout is part of a broader effort to simplify how customers manage their money. Stavan Parikh, VP and GM for Payments at Google, confirmed that shoppers will be able to use Google Pay starting next week.
A Decade of Resistance
For more than ten years, Walmart remained the largest holdout against mobile wallet ubiquity in the United States. This resistance was largely driven by the company's desire to promote its own proprietary payment systems, such as Walmart Pay and Scan-and-Go, which allow the retailer to capture more direct consumer data.
Walmart's history with mobile payments includes a failed attempt to disrupt the market; the company previously partnered with other retailers to launch CurrentC, a rival mobile payment system that shut down in 2016. Interestingly, the company's resistance was specific to the U.S. market, as Walmart has accepted Apple Pay in its Canadian locations for six years.
Industry Implications
As the world's largest retailer, Walmart's pivot signals a surrender to the dominance of third-party mobile wallets over proprietary retail apps. The shift comes at a time when Apple Pay is already accepted at 85% of U.S. retailers, according to TechCrunch. By removing one of the last major barriers to seamless mobile payment adoption in the U.S., Walmart is addressing long-standing customer frustration and aligning its checkout experience with broader industry standards.
What to Watch
While the rollout to stores and clubs is fast-tracked for the end of this year, the expansion to fuel stations will take longer, with a target date of mid-2027. Observers will be watching to see if this move leads to a decline in the usage of Walmart Pay or if the company can successfully maintain a hybrid ecosystem where both proprietary and third-party wallets coexist.