Apple is launching Tap to Pay on iPhone in Canada, allowing retailers to use their iPhones as point of sale terminals and eschewing the need for debit machines.
What’s worth knowing about the feature is that it isn’t technically an Apple app. Instead, it’s a software framework existing finial service apps can plug into their software to enable Tap to Pay on iPhone. This means you’ll need an account from Ayden, Moneris, Stripe or Square in Canada to use your iPhone as a payment terminal. Apple says more payment solutions, including options from Chase payments, Fiserv and Helcim, will join the others in a few months.
Retailers will need to use an iPhone XS or newer to enable the feature and it will only accept tap payments and NFC-enabled store loyalty cards. This means you can pay with Apple Pay, Tap-enabled debit/credit cards and other contactless payment systems on Android. You cannot swipe your card using Tap to Pay on iPhone, meaning you may be limited by your bank’s tap transaction limit.
The feature is going live today so Canadian retailers looking to learn more can check out Apple’s small business website. For those looking to see the feature in action, it should launch in Sephora and Apple Stores across Canada before the end of the year. This feature launched in the U.S. in 2022 and is in a variety of stores there.
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