After years of being one of the biggest holdouts in American retail, Walmart is finally embracing the way millions of shoppers already pay everywhere else.
Walmart announced Friday that it will begin rolling out tap-to-pay at Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the United States, opening the door for customers to use Apple Pay, Google Pay and other contactless payment methods at checkout. The change begins Aug. 24 at select locations, with Walmart planning to bring the technology to all of its U.S. stores and Sam’s Club locations by the end of 2026.
Fuel stations will take a little longer. Walmart says contactless payments are expected to reach its fuel locations by mid-2027.
Walmart Was One of the Last Major Holdouts
For shoppers accustomed to tapping an iPhone, Android phone, smartwatch or contactless card at checkout, Walmart’s resistance had become increasingly noticeable.
Until now, Walmart’s U.S. stores largely steered customers toward Walmart Pay, which works differently from the NFC technology behind Apple Pay and Google Pay. Walmart Pay requires customers to use the Walmart app and scan a QR code rather than simply holding their phone or watch near the payment terminal.
As recently as earlier this year, Walmart still did not support Apple Pay, Google Pay or even ordinary tap-to-pay contactless cards at its U.S. stores.
That is now changing.
According to Walmart, the goal is to give customers more choice and make checkout more convenient. Once a store receives the upgrade, customers will be able to pay using an eligible contactless card, smartphone or smartwatch.
Apple Pay and Google Pay are included in the rollout, according to multiple reports confirming the announcement.
You May Not Be Able to Use It Immediately
The Aug. 24 date does not mean every Walmart register in America will suddenly accept Apple Pay on Monday.
Walmart is beginning with select Walmart and Sam’s Club locations and expanding the system throughout the remainder of the year. The company has not publicly identified every store included in the initial rollout.
That means customers should look for the familiar contactless payment symbol at the terminal before assuming Apple Pay or Google Pay is available at their local store.
The company expects the technology to reach all U.S. Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations by the end of 2026.
Walmart Pay Isn’t Going Away
Walmart isn’t abandoning its existing payment system.
Customers will still be able to use traditional payment options, including cash and credit cards, along with Walmart Pay. Sam’s Club members will also continue to have access to Scan & Go, which allows shoppers to scan merchandise with their phones and complete their purchases through the app.
Instead, tap-to-pay becomes another option.
The change also means shoppers who have become accustomed to leaving their physical wallets at home will no longer necessarily have to change their routine when walking into Walmart.
More Than a Decade After Apple Pay Launched
What makes Walmart’s decision particularly notable is how long it took.
Apple Pay launched in 2014, and contactless payments have since become commonplace at grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, convenience stores and other major retailers. Walmart remained a conspicuous exception while continuing to promote its own digital-payment ecosystem.
By 2026, the absence of tap-to-pay had become an increasingly unusual part of the Walmart checkout experience.
Now that era is coming to an end.
Beginning Aug. 24, the first Walmart and Sam’s Club shoppers will be able to tap their phones, watches or cards instead of opening Walmart’s app and scanning a QR code.
For a company known for moving enormous amounts of merchandise every day, it’s a relatively small technological change — but for customers who have spent years asking Walmart to accept Apple Pay and Google Pay, it may be one of the most noticeable checkout upgrades the retailer has made in years.
