Apple Pay Responsible for Two of Every Three Contactless Payments on Visa, MasterCard, and American Express

Since its introduction in October, Apple Pay has accounted for two of every three dollars spent through contactless payments on Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook who shared the information during the company's earnings call for the first fiscal quarter of 2015.

"Apple Pay is off to a very strong start," said Cook, adding that he expects 2015 to be "the year of Apple Pay." About 750 banks and credit unions have signed on to accept Apple Pay, and according to numbers shared by Cook, Apple Pay was responsible for 80 percent of mobile payments at Panera Bread, and at Whole Foods, mobile payments increased by 400 percent.

applepaytouchid
Earlier information has also pointed to Apple Pay's success. Apple Pay had more than 1 million card activations during the first 72 hours Apple Pay was available, and in November, Apple Pay captured a total of 1 percent of all digital payment dollars.

Thus far, Apple Pay has proven to be most popular at Whole Foods, with the speciality grocery store responsible for 20 percent of all Apple Pay transactions and 28 percent of all Apple Pay spending. Walgreens and McDonald's were also popular with Apple Pay users.

Apple Pay is still in its infancy, limited to the United States. In the coming months, Apple plans to expand to several other locations across Europe, Canada, and Asia. In the United States, Apple Pay now supports cards representing 90 percent of U.S. credit card purchase volume.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia

Thursday February 20, 2025 8:55 am PST by
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder. The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...

Top Rated Comments

SockRolid Avatar
132 months ago
Hey CVS: you s*ck. I used to let the cashiers scan the CVS loyalty program bar code from my iPhone's screen showing the CVS app. No more. If I ever do buy anything at CVS again, I won't be showing the app or my CVS card. And I'll pay cash so you can't track me.

----------

I wonder how it will be in countries where contactless payment is already pretty common.

On a lighter note: imagine the day when you can use contactless payment for a lap dance...

As long as the lap dance isn't contactless, yeah I'm all for it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
132 months ago
Wow... 2/3.
I still maintain this one of the better, more strategic moves Apple has ever made. The potential benefits for their user base, their ecosystem, their product line, is nothing short of staggering.

Brilliant move. And it's just getting started.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
flyingember Avatar
132 months ago
As much as I like the whole NFC with Apple Pay I really think Apple needs to do something to push more to widen the availability. I know some stores might resist them, but I'm sure Apple can always kick in some incentives.

So far I have only used Apple Pay with McDonalds, Home Depot, and Walgreen. And I don't even visit any of them that often, less than once a month. It'd be nice if over here stores like Fry's Food or Costco will adapt them.

How is 200,000 more locations? Announced today.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mainstreetmark Avatar
132 months ago
As a society, or perhaps just as a country, the vast majority of transactions are still the "hand your card to somebody" type of thing. Every luddite i know fears Apple Pay - usually due to them not wanting to give Apple their CC# - but I do a pretty good job of defeating their fears by pointing out the afore-mentioned "hand your card to somebody" method used in every restaurant I know of. That is ridiculous, in this connected world. Also, Apple already has their CC#, much to their surprise.

But, Apple Pay fails to work at Home Depot (though it is accepted), usually works at McDonalds, always works at Firehouse Subs, and the rest of the time, I don't even bother trying anymore. Why isn't it, for example, at Gas Pumps - those absurd islands of user-interface from the 1980's. A printed receipt?! How quaint.

I also gave a bunch of money to OnlyCoin for some reason. They haven't bothered shipping a product in like 2 years, so money lost. And now that technology is outmoded already.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
peterh988 Avatar
132 months ago


On a lighter note: imagine the day when you can use contactless payment for a lap dance...
Our beggars have card readers in the UK, I guess they'll be accepting Apple Pay when its available here!

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/supertramp-mayfair-beggar-who-accepts-credit-cards-im-just-earning-a-living-9979657.html
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
132 months ago
I wonder how it will be in countries where contactless payment is already pretty common.

On a lighter note: imagine the day when you can use contactless payment for a lap dance...
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)