New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Pay Launches in 13 More European Countries, Sparkassen and Volksbanken in Germany Later This Year

Wednesday June 26, 2019 3:00 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple Pay is officially going live in 13 additional countries today, including Greece, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia, bringing Apple's mobile payment system to millions more users across Europe.



In Slovakia, for example, users can already load cards onto their Apple Wallet from Boon, Edenred, J&T Banka, Monese, N26, Revolut, Slovenska sporitelna, Tatra banka, and mBank.

It's a similar story in many more countries, based on screenshots posted by Apple users on social media this morning.

‌Apple Pay‌ now also appears to support a number of popular bank cards across Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, and Slovenia.



‌Apple Pay‌ has been gradually expanding across Europe and the Middle East, launching in Poland, Norway, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, Austria, and Iceland over the last year.

The mobile payment system allows iPhone 6, 6s, 6, 7, 8, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7 Plus, 8 Plus, SE, X, XS, XS Max, and XR users to make payments for goods and services in retail stores using an NFC chip built into their iPhones.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in March that ‌Apple Pay‌ would be available in more than 40 countries and regions by the end of 2019, although Apple's website has yet to be updated with the full list. ‌Apple Pay‌ first launched in the United States in October 2014. You can view the full list of ‌Apple Pay‌ countries and regions on Apple’s website.

Update: Sparkassen and Volksbanken banks in Germany will also support ‌Apple Pay‌ later this year. (Thanks, Kai!)

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Europe
[ 47 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
L-Viz
20 weeks ago
Apple pay is the best payment method. I use it where I can and I avoid businesses, that refuse to offer it. Their loss.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
djcerla
20 weeks ago
Apple Pay on a Watch is simply Apple at its best. It just works like magic.

I hope more website will offer it for online purchases.
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
dragje
20 weeks ago
This is very good news for people living in Europe, including myself, living in Amsterdam the Netherlands where Apple Pay just recently was released. I use Apple Pay on daily bases, in supermarkets, restaurants and for many other little things. I must say that I find paying with Apple Pay using my Apple Watch (3th generation) much more convenient than using my iPhone instead. Your watch is all-ready their for usage. Press twice, hold in in front of the cash-machine and you’re done, versus an iPhone which in most situations is still somewhere in my jacket. None the less, very convenient.

Also something nice I discovered. In Apple’s wallet app you can also see where you've payed your bills. This information won’t stay stirred for months but it’s pretty handy if you all ready made a payment and you like to find the specific store after you’ve left. Because not only the name of the store will be within your wallet app but also the location, together with the option to click on it so Apple Maps will give you directions towards the store.
Very happy with this way of making payments.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
MisterSavage
20 weeks ago

Apple Pay on a watch is a convenience, but the scenario in the article photo is a joke. In what universe is holding your phone to a terminal easier than tapping a card.


This universe. If I'm waiting in line I'll probably be using my iPhone when I'm waiting. When I get to the front of the line it's just two button taps to pay with Apple Pay instead of getting something out of my wallet. Even though I have an Apple Watch if my phone is already out I just pay with that.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
rmoliv
20 weeks ago

Great. Which European countries are not yet supported, or is Europe finally completely Apple Pay-enabled so to speak?

And I hope they'll bring Apple Card here rather sooner than later.


Moldova
Belarus
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Serbia
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Albania
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
catean
20 weeks ago

Great. Which European countries are not yet supported, or is Europe finally completely Apple Pay-enabled so to speak?


Europe as a continent is still missing some countries, but European Union is fully supported now.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
deathnite
20 weeks ago
Woohoo! Apple Pay for everyone.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
ipedro
20 weeks ago
Apple has really been accelerating their ApplePay business. At this rate, it'll soon be effectively accepted worldwide. While Facebook is busy trying to make their Libra currency a thing, Apple is already established. ApplePay is one step away from rolling out Apple Cash which is its own virtual currency — but in Apple's case, with the backing of one billion devices on which it'll be pre-installed and with a worldwide network of real retail places where it’s accepted to purchase real things.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
Awesome discussion
20 weeks ago
Whats very important is that Apple Pay in Germany will support Direct Debit Cards (Lastschrift/Bankeinzug) and not just Debit Cards (which are basically Creditcards). This is huge because Credit Cards only make up for 5% (including Debit Cards) where Direct Debit Cards do account for 95% of all non-cash transactions.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
rmoliv
20 weeks ago
Yes, it’s been up since about 3 am here. Now how long is the waiting for Apple Cash and Apple Card gonna be? Five more years?
Rating: 2 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]