Apple Pay Launching in Canada With American Express on November 17

Apple Pay is expected to expand to its third market this week, launching in Canada this Tuesday, November, 17, reports iPhone in Canada. As previously announced, Apple Pay will be launching through an exclusive partnership with American Express, initially limiting the reach of Apple's payments service in the country.

amex_apple_pay

According to American Express, the service is set to launch this Tuesday, November 17, 2015. Customer service representatives we spoke with confirmed the date over the phone numerous times, and is in line with what you’ve told us as well.

As reported by The Globe and Mail last month, sources indicate Apple partnered with American Express in order to expedite the Apple Pay launch in the country, as discussions with the major Canadian banks and other credit card companies had been "dragging."

Beyond Canada, Apple is also partnering with American Express to bring Apple Pay to Australia by the end of the year and to Spain, Singapore, and Hong Kong next year. Apple Pay launched in the United States alongside iOS 8 in September 2014 and expanded to the United Kingdom in July of this year.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
disney

Disney+ Loses 700,000 Subscribers Following Price Increase

Wednesday February 5, 2025 3:34 pm PST by
Disney+ lost 700,000 subscribers worldwide in recent months, according to Disney's earnings results for the first quarter of 2025. Disney said it now has 124.6 million Disney+ subscribers, a decrease of 0.7 million compared to its subscriber numbers in the fourth quarter of 2024. The drop in subscribers comes after Disney+ prices increased in the fall. Disney+ with Ads went from $7.99 to...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses to Expand to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday February 5, 2025 6:27 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Below, we outline which U.S. states and territories offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in...

Top Rated Comments

GristlyBear Avatar
121 months ago
I really don't see Apple Pay gaining any traction in Canada. Although I have an iPhone 6, I would still prefer to make purchases by tapping my credit card. It's much faster, easier/lighter to carry in my pocket, and no chance of a fingerprint misread. I suspect there's little to no market demand for this service, which likely explains why the Canadian banks aren't budging in negotiations.
There is a simple huge security difference. If someone gets hold of your tap card, they can use it. If someone gets hold of your iPhone or Apple Watch, they can't use it - without your finger. Plain and simple.

I prefer leaving my wallet in my pants pocket, and either (a) use my watch - it's right there on my wrist all the time, or (b) use my iPhone which is always handy in my shirt pocket.

Having used ApplePay since day one in the US and Canada, I can state that I have never had a "fingerprint misread". None. It's a non-issue.

Pre-ApplePay I had a number of tap cards. Now I only have one, infrequently used, non-ApplePay NFC card left.

I know it is not often mentioned but one additional advantage of American Express when merged with Apple Pay and the Amex App is that your iPhone can be notified (push) for each and every charge made regardless of how the charge was made. Recurring payments, online charges, ApplePay charges, literally any charges. It is the best fraud protection bar none.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ptb42 Avatar
121 months ago
Can someone explain why Apple Pay can't just be a solution that works anywhere where contactless nfc payments are accepted other than wanting to be in control of the process? Not being snide or a "hater", asking seriously.
I heard something like $1 for every $100 spent. I've read some where that apple's cut into the processing fee was too much for the banks to deal with as it would cut into their profits
The banks make most of their profits from the transaction fees that merchants pay when you use debit/credit. Since Apple acts as a messenger here, they want to take a cut from that fee and the banks don't like that because that means they wouldn't make as much money. It has nothing to do with lack of tech (most places have had the tech for a while)
As most credit cards companies in Canada use NFC in there cards, other than security (which would reduce costs for the CC companies), what does Apple bring to the table for them? Yes convenience for customers but banks don't care about that too much.

I wonder if the reduction in profit is offset by the reduced costs of fraud. If I lose my credit card with tap, anyone could use it and that must happen lots.
I think they need cooperation from the banks as it is their merchant terminals that are used in each store. The banks in Australia and Apple cannot come to an agreement on interchange fees.
Apple Pay is the first implementation of a new EMV tokenization standard. Short version: when you add your card to your Wallet, your iPhone contacts a server operated by the card issuer and eventually your bank, to validate your card is valid and create an alias (the "device account number" or DAN). Both your bank and your iPhone remember the DAN. Apple is briefly involved in this process.

When you use Apple Pay, the merchant's terminal only receives the DAN. It submits that, along with some other encrypted fields. Your bank must then map the DAN to your account, validate the other fields, and then decide whether to authorize the transaction. This is why NFC doesn't "just work": your iPhone doesn't have your true account number, and the bank must build a new back-end systems to do the mapping. Also, Apple is not involved in the transaction at all -- only the initial step to add the card to your Wallet.

Among the other fields in your transaction is a sequence number that is unique to the transaction. There's also a merchant ID, and a cryptographic signature. So, even if someone were to capture your DAN, they can't use it to commit fraud. They can't even "replay" the transaction a second time to double-bill you. This is the additional security that Apple Pay provides for the bank.

Your iPhone looks like a contactless card to the merchant terminal, so there should be no changes required at the merchant if they already support NFC. However, there have been some issues with some transaction processors corrupting the data in transit, requiring updated software and hardware. But others have had no problem.

In the US, banks have been willing to pay a small amount in exchange for this additional security. One benefit is they don't have to reissue a card if the DAN is compromised: you just delete the card from your Wallet and add it again, and you'll have a new DAN. Historically, this has been a large expense over the past few years when the systems of high-profile retailers have been compromised. And of course, you have to authenticate a transaction on the iPhone each time. Also, you can remotely delete the contents of your Wallet.

Apple's fee? In the US, it is reportedly 15 cents per $100. The bank's portion of the transaction fee is about $1.50 per $100, so it's a relatively small amount in exchange for eliminating an entire class of credit card fraud. A few banks have botched the implementation by not sufficiently validating the addition of a card to the Wallet, but I expect that will eventually be resolved.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wreckus Avatar
121 months ago
Apple P'eh is here! :D Woot Woot!
Until I can use my Visa card w/ apple pay on my iPhone in Canada. It's not here yet.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bdpx Avatar
121 months ago
Is it time to get an AmEx?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nickmcpherson97 Avatar
121 months ago
I was in Toronto earlier this year and used Apple Pay every where I went, 90% of places accepted it, I guess it wasn't avail for Canadians
It's not available through any Canadian services like banks. But 90% of places have had the tech for contactless payments for a long time.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JeffyTheQuik Avatar
121 months ago
Bienvenue chez :apple: Pay, Canada
Welcome to :apple: Pay, Canada!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)