Apple has expanded Tap to Pay on iPhone to nine new European countries, enabling merchants to accept card payments directly through their phones.
The new countries include Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. Business owners in these regions can now use their iPhones as a point-of-sale devices for contactless payments.
The payment method is compatible with iPhone Xs or later running the latest iOS version. To make a payment, customers hold their contactless credit or debit card, iPhone, Apple Watch, or other digital wallets near the merchant’s iPhone, which is then completed using NFC technology.
Apple states that the expansion was made possible through collaborations with payment platforms, app developers, and payment networks like Mollie, which integrated Apple’s Tap to Pay for its UK customer base in January.
At the time, Dave Smallwood, UK Managing Director of Mollie, said: “We are laser-focused on ensuring every UK business is able to offer a seamless checkout experience and offer all of the relevant payment methods – whether online or in-person.
“We are excited to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone in the UK, allowing local businesses to give their customers more choice and flexibility. This is an exciting step forward in our mission to make money management effortless for every business in the UK.”
Privacy is fundamental to Tap to Pay on iPhone, according to Apple. The company emphasises that all transactions are encrypted and processed through the Secure Element, ensuring that Apple does not have access to transaction details or personal purchase information. This comes amid growing customer concerns, especially with the UK government’s legal proceedings demanding data from the company.
Adoption of this payment method has risen over the past year, with Visa reporting that Tap to Phone payments in the UK have increased by 320% over the past year.
A large reason for this growth is its use by smaller businesses, with Visa sharing a case study of Simon Young, an Events Manager and Café Owner at Reuthe’s The Lost Gardens of Sevenoaks, a small countryside garden and events company in Kent, England.
Young explained: “Now, instead of redirecting customers to the café to buy feed while they’re petting alpacas across our 11-acre grounds, the Reuthe’s team can take payments instantly – creating a seamless experience and driving a 40% increase in sales last year.”
