Apple has launched its Tap to Pay on iPhone feature in the UAE, continuing the slow rollout that began in the US in 2022.
Tap to Pay on iPhone means that merchants can take payments without a separate contactless card reader. They and their customers can just hold their iPhones close to one another and initiate a payment.
US Apple Stores were the first to support purchases using Tap to Pay in May 2022, before it rolled out across the States. The UK and France got it in 2023, while Apple launched it in Japan in May 2024.
"As more and more consumers are tapping to pay with digital wallets and credit cards," Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said at the 2022 launch in the US, "Tap to Pay on iPhone will provide businesses with a secure, private, and easy way to accept contactless payments and unlock new checkout experiences using the power, security, and convenience of iPhone."
According to a statement by Apple, Tap to Pay on iPhone is now supported by the UAE's Adyen, Magnati, and Network International payment platforms. It works with contactless credit and debit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
