Apple is 'Watching Cryptocurrency' and Wants to Do More With Tipping and Mobile IDs

Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey recently sat down with CNN anchor Christine Romans at a private event in San Francisco to discuss the future of payments, including ‌Apple Pay‌ and the Apple Card.

jennifer bailey cnn

‌Apple Pay‌ vice president Jennifer Bailey via CNN Business

As to be expected, Bailey made some boilerplate comments about the security, privacy, and ease of use of both ‌Apple Pay‌ and the ‌Apple Card‌, but she also touched on cryptocurrency, tipping, and mobile IDs.

On cryptocurrency, Bailey said it is an "interesting" field with "long-term potential":

We're watching cryptocurrency. We think it's interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential, but we're primarily focused on what consumers are using today… and are happy with. Most people are pretty happy with their debit card as an example. And so helping people do that in a more secure way on our platform and in a more real time way is what we're focused on.

On tipping, Bailey said it is one area where Apple still needs to "work more on that":

We get that feedback a lot from customers about when they start using mobile payments and Apple Pay, they stop carrying cash. And one of the key areas where they would like us to do more is actually in tipping. You'll see in some of the point-of-sale systems now great tipping functionality if you pay with mobile payments, but still that personal touch is one area where we still need to work more on that.

‌Apple Pay‌ and the Wallet app have already provided digital alternatives to credit and debit cards, student IDs, movie tickets, boarding passes, and more. Asked what the hardest remaining item in a wallet would be to digitize, Bailey said identities, such as a driver's license or a passport:

I think the hardest thing is identity. And the reason is that identity, to be legal, has to be government issued… it has to be authenticated by the government. We see across the globe many countries starting to use mobile to add passport… you might use mobile passport when you're going through airports today. It is moving, and I think it will continue. It's not too far away… it just won't be as fast as some of the other activities we have.

Bailey also confirmed that Apple is "working on" allowing users to export their Apple Card financial data to a budgeting app like Mint.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...

Top Rated Comments

MenaceF1 Avatar
76 months ago
Or just don't tip. There was an agreed price, I paid it. End of transaction.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
76 months ago
"We're watching cryptocurrency. We think it's interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential, but we're primarily focused on what consumers are using today... and are happy with. Most people are pretty happy with their debit card as an example. And so helping people do that in a more secure way on our platform and in a more real time way is what we're focused on."

I just want Apple to make great computers and OSes so that I can do my work most efficiently. I want Apple Computer Company - not Apple Consumer Company

The last thing that anyone should want is a single powerful company that has all your data, what you think (texts, Siri etc), what you spend it on (banking) - and is willing to share it with the government (Apple has already admitted this in released emails - Tim Cooks protests and tweets are not legally binding). Because, you know, company CEOs, like presidents, aren't always on your side. They are on the side of the shareholders


On a recent podcast, Adam Curry reminded me that under Steve Jobs Apple’s mission statement was
“To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”

Apple’s current mission statement is “Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.”

And now Apple is revolutionizing the credit card industry - buy, buy, buy more, people!
Apple does not have all your data. They host a lot of data encrypted, and don't have the keys. Apple is not "willing to share" anything with the government other than what is legally required in each jurisdiction where they do business. Where do you get all this information you are claiming?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThirteenXIII Avatar
76 months ago
cryptocurrency/bitcoin? good luck with that. it may be useful for a secular type of financials but I dont see it going into everyones pockets or ewallets.

tipping? bleh.

**edit, why are my posts being edited?
"tipping? bleh. (I tip well, but its getting pretty ridiculous as prices continue to go up and they dont pay their people)."
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Strelok Avatar
76 months ago
bitcoin is going nowhere regardless of all the fake prices and paid bot accounts hyping it. None of the creeptos are. They are a crime infested cesspool of scams and the public has too much awareness of it now. She was giving a polite answer because she was asked a question and doesnt want to offend potential customers who may have wasted their money on crapto creepto pump n dump scams.
There’s more to cryptocurrency than bitcoin and other random crypto coins....
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
76 months ago
As much as I'd like to remove the last of "cards" we need to carry by having a virtual ID I'm not sure I want government issued items in my phone. Various agencies are already clamoring for a reason to have access to mobile devices, needing to "audit" and "validate" IDs would be one more lever to try and gain further access. Maybe my tin foil hat is a little too tight today though :-P
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
laz232 Avatar
76 months ago
"We're watching cryptocurrency. We think it's interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential, but we're primarily focused on what consumers are using today... and are happy with. Most people are pretty happy with their debit card as an example. And so helping people do that in a more secure way on our platform and in a more real time way is what we're focused on."

I just want Apple to make great computers and OSes so that I can do my work most efficiently. I want Apple Computer Company - not Apple Consumer Company

The last thing that anyone should want is a single powerful company that has all your data, what you think (texts, Siri etc), what you spend it on (banking) - and is willing to share it with the government (Apple has already admitted this in released emails - Tim Cooks protests and tweets are not legally binding). Because, you know, company CEOs, like presidents, aren't always on your side. They are on the side of the shareholders


On a recent podcast, Adam Curry reminded me that under Steve Jobs Apple’s mission statement was
“To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”

Apple’s current mission statement is “Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.”

And now Apple is revolutionizing the credit card industry - buy, buy, buy more, people!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)