Walmart announced Friday, August 21, that it will begin accepting tap-to-pay technology — including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Wallet — starting Monday, August 24, ending years of resistance to contactless payment options that most major US retailers adopted long ago.

How the Rollout Will Work

The tap-to-pay option will launch first at select Walmart and Sam's Club locations beginning August 24, with the company declining to publicly share which specific stores or cities will get the technology first. Walmart plans to expand tap-to-pay to all of its US stores and clubs by the end of 2026, with fuel stations at both Walmart and Sam's Club expected to gain the capability by mid-2027. Customers will be able to pay using contactless cards, phones, or smartwatches, and will also be able to add eligible Walmart, Sam's Club, and OnePay cards to their digital wallets.

Why This Matters

Apple Pay is now accepted at roughly 85% of US retailers, according to TechCrunch, which had made Walmart one of the most conspicuous holdouts among major American chains. Other large retailers — including The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kroger, and Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B — had already reversed course and adopted tap-to-pay support in recent years, leaving Walmart increasingly isolated in its resistance.

A Company Statement Framing It as Choice

Walmart framed the shift as an expansion of customer options rather than a concession. "We want customers and members to have choice in how they pay, so they can check out in the way that works best for them," the company said in a press release. "It all comes back to giving customers and members more choice and making everyday shopping a little easier — from how they manage their money to how they pay at checkout."

Why Walmart Held Out So Long

For years, Walmart prioritized its own in-house mobile payment tool, Walmart Pay, which requires customers to scan a QR code at checkout after adding a payment card to the Walmart app, along with the Scan & Go system at Sam's Club. That approach let the retailer more closely track consumer spending habits and shopping patterns, rather than routing transaction data through third-party wallet providers like Apple and Google. Walmart's resistance to outside payment platforms dates back further than most shoppers may realize: in the mid-2010s, the retailer joined a consortium of other major chains backing a rival mobile payment system called CurrentC, explicitly intended to undercut Apple Pay's rise. That project ultimately collapsed and shut down in 2016.

A Notable Reversal

Industry observers have described the move as something of a defeat for Walmart's long-standing strategy. As one of the world's largest retailers, the company had believed it could push customers toward its own payment ecosystem despite the growing, near-universal adoption of Apple Pay and similar NFC-based systems elsewhere. Ultimately, the company appears to have concluded that continuing to withhold tap-to-pay was disadvantaging its own customers relative to the broader retail landscape — where competitors including Target, Costco, 7-Eleven, Taco Bell, and CVS have all embraced Apple Pay in recent years.

What Won't Change

Walmart Pay and other existing payment methods — including cash and traditional credit card swipes or insertions — will remain available alongside the new tap-to-pay option. The retailer noted that Walmart Pay still offers certain features tap-to-pay won't replicate, such as viewing purchase history, accessing receipts, and tracking Walmart+ fuel savings directly within the app. The new contactless payment options will also be available on Walmart's website and mobile app in addition to physical store checkouts.

What's Next

With the initial rollout beginning next week and full nationwide coverage targeted for the end of 2026, Walmart shoppers in select locations should start seeing tap-to-pay terminals appear at checkout lanes within days. It's currently unclear whether Walmart will extend the same tap-to-pay support to its Mexican operations, given the company has already offered Apple Pay in its Canadian stores since 2020. For Walmart's official announcement, see the Walmart Newsroom.

After years of asking customers to adapt to its own payment ecosystem, Walmart is finally meeting shoppers where they already are — a shift that should make checkout noticeably faster and more familiar for millions of Apple Pay and Google Pay users nationwide.