Walmart Cracks Down on Checkout Friction with Apple Pay and Google Pay Rollout

Retail giant Walmart has ended its years-long holdout against third-party contactless payments by announcing the rollout of NFC Tap-to-Pay across its locations. The phased rollout starts on August 24 and will be fully deployed nationwide by the end of 2026. The retailer also plans to extend this functionality to its fuel stations by mid-2027.

This move marks a significant shift in Walmart's retail checkout strategy, as it now joins the majority of US retailers that accept contactless payments. With over 85% of US retail stores already accepting NFC mobile payments, Walmart has chosen to pivot towards removing checkout friction and providing customers with more convenient payment options.

Under the new system, shoppers can tap eligible credit or debit cards, smartphones, or smartwatches at the terminal. Customers will also be able to store eligible Walmart, Sam's Club, and OnePay cards directly within their Apple and Google Wallets.