Walmart will start accepting Apple Pay and Google Pay at select Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations across the U.S. beginning August 24, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The retailer plans to roll out tap-to-pay acceptance to all Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations nationwide by the end of 2026 [1, 2, 5, 6].
Walmart also announced that all of its fuel stations will support tap-to-pay methods by mid-2027 [1, 2, 5, 6]. Customers will be able to pay using contactless cards, phones, smartwatches, and by adding Walmart, Sam's Club, and OnePay cards to their digital wallets [4, 5, 6].
The move signals a major shift for Walmart, which previously resisted near-field communication (NFC) payments in favor of its own Walmart Pay app and the discontinued CurrentC system, which Walmart abandoned in 2016 [1, 2, 4]. Emarketer principal retail analyst Sky Canaves noted, "Younger consumers in particular are so used to using Apple Pay and tap-to-pay with their phones that they're coming to expect it" [4].
A Walmart spokesperson said, "Tap to Pay is a great addition to the other payment options already offered like cash, credit card or Walmart Pay… And giving customers and members more choice at checkout is part of a broader effort to make managing and using their money easier" [1]. Another spokesperson added, "We want customers and members to have choice in how they pay, so they can check out in the way that works best for them" [2].
Currently, about 85% of U.S. retailers accept Apple Pay, reflecting growing consumer demand for contactless payments [1]. Walmart's adoption of Apple Pay and Google Pay narrows a significant gap in payment options at the nation's largest retailer.
Walmart customers will gain access to the new payment options starting August 24 at select locations. The rollout will complete nationwide by the end of this year, with fuel stations following by mid-2027 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
