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.

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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

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Top Rated Comments

SockRolid Avatar
136 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.

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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
136 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
136 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
136 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
136 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
136 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)