Apple Acquired Mobeewave, a Startup That Lets Smartphones Accept Payments Using NFC - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Acquired Mobeewave, a Startup That Lets Smartphones Accept Payments Using NFC

Apple has purchased payments startup Mobeewave, which created a system that lets shoppers tap a credit card or smartphone on another phone to process a payment. The functionality could allow iPhones to be used as payment terminals with no additional hardware required.

mobeewave
According to Bloomberg, Apple purchased the startup for approximately $100 million. Mobeewave's technology works with NFC, which is built into all modern iPhones. Mobeewave's website says sending payments with the Mobeewave app is as simple as inputting a transaction amount and tapping an NFC-enabled card on the back of a smartphone.

Apple hired the whole Mobeewave team, which includes dozens of employees, and the company is continuing to work from Montreal where it is based. Apple confirmed the acquisition with its typical statement: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

As Bloomberg points out, the acquisition has the potential to allow Apple to compete with companies like Square, which makes hardware that allows iPhone users to accept credit and debit card payments.

Popular Stories

MacBook Pro Low Angle Wide Lens

Apple to Launch 'MacBook Ultra' With These Six New Features

Friday April 24, 2026 10:32 am PDT by
While the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro were just updated with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips last month, bigger changes are reportedly around the corner. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the higher-end MacBook Pro models will be receiving a major redesign by early 2027, and he said that Apple might use "MacBook Ultra" branding for them. If so, the MacBook Ultra would likely be a...
Apple TV Thumb 3

Here's What's Coming in the 2026 Apple TV

Thursday April 23, 2026 12:08 pm PDT by
There are a lot of folks waiting for a new version of the Apple TV because the set-top box hasn't been updated since 2022. There is an update coming this year, but people will need to wait a bit longer because Apple is holding the next Apple TV until the new version of Siri comes out this fall. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing in 2026. The next...
Apple Maps General

Tim Cook Calls Apple Maps Launch His 'First Really Big Mistake' as CEO

Thursday April 23, 2026 5:29 am PDT by
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook has named the botched 2012 launch of Apple Maps as his "first really big mistake" in the role, according to a Bloomberg report covering the town hall meeting that was held Tuesday with his recently announced successor, John Ternus. The Maps app launched with mislabeled landmarks, faulty directions, and a user experience that fell well short of Google Maps at the...

Top Rated Comments

75 months ago
Now this is huge. Surprised they have not implemented this sort of feature yet.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
75 months ago
In the year 2525 (if man is still alive) Apple will add this feature to iOS 519.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Virtual Steve Avatar
75 months ago

In the year 2525 (if man is still alive) Apple will add this feature to iOS 519.
I see what you did there ;) Not too many Zager and Evans references on the MR Forums. Well played.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
75 months ago
This is definitely big news. Hopefully, Apple can incorporate this kind of technology into the consumer side as well as the business side.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matrix07 Avatar
75 months ago
Tap 2 iPhones together to pay your friend. 😋
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jhfenton Avatar
75 months ago

Who the hell still uses physical credit cards?
At the many places that still don't take ApplePay or tap-to-pay in general, I would assume lots of people.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)