UK Residents Can Now Use iPhones to Make Contactless Payments with Apple Tap to Pay
Apple has now made Tap to Pay accessible to businesses and merchants in the United Kingdom, allowing them to accept contactless payments using their iPhones. This feature was initially launched in the US in mid-2022 and later expanded to Taiwan and Australia. Similar to these regions, UK merchants can now receive payments without the need for additional hardware, as the feature utilizes NFC technology. As long as they possess an iPhone XS or a newer model, they can provide contactless payment options to customers who use Apple Pay, contactless debit or credit cards, and other digital wallets.
The company announced the feature in early 2022 before testing the payment system at its own Cupertino-based visitor center. After the launch of Tap to Pay, major fintech services began supporting the feature, including PayPal, Venmo, and Square.
According to Apple’s announcement, NatWest’s Revolut and Tyl are the first payment platforms to allow their business customers in the UK to use the company’s Tap to Pay technology. Adyen, Dojo, myPOS, Stripe, SumUp, Viva Wallet, Worldline and Zettle by PayPal are the next financial services that support the feature in the region. Apple didn’t give them a specific launch date, just that Tap to Pay support is “coming soon” to their customers. As well as announcing the availability of the feature, the company has revealed that Tap to Pay will be available in its retail stores across the UK in the coming weeks. This means UK customers can easily pay for their purchases with a card or another phone on the store’s iPhone.
