Here’s When Walmart Will Finally Start Allowing Contactless Payments.
Every time I go to Walmart, I forget that the store doesn’t have contactless payment. This wouldn’t be a big deal, really, if it weren’t for the fact that almost every store I visit these days supports it. So, I’ve gotten into the habit of whipping out my iPhone at the self-checkout lane, looking like an idiot trying to pay contactlessly through a card reader without NFC. And every time I reluctantly pull out my credit card and physically scan it or insert it into the register, I invariably wonder why Walmart doesn’t have contactless payment. (I’ve even left my credit card stuck in the reader because I’ve gotten used to not using it.)
As it turns out, those days are (thankfully) over. On Friday, Walmart announced the arrival of contactless payment via Tap to Pay in its stores, as well as at Sam’s Club. In addition to paying with your credit or debit card using any contactless payment method you prefer, Walmart says you’ll be able to add your Walmart, Sam’s Club, or OnePay cards to your digital wallet. While you can, of course, continue to pay with cash, credit cards, or Walmart Pay, anyone will be able to use Tap to Pay seamlessly. This is pretty big news, even if it means Walmart is just catching up to almost every other store—at least the ones I usually go to.
When will contactless payment be available in Walmart stores?
According to a Walmart press release, Tap to Pay technology will launch on August 24 at select Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. Starting Monday, you’ll be able to pay at your local store with your smartphone, smartwatch, contactless credit card, or any other payment method that supports Tap to Pay. If not, Walmart says all U.S. stores will support the technology by the end of this year, and all gas stations by mid-2027.