Walmart shoppers will soon have a faster way to pay at the register.
Starting next week, Walmart will begin rolling out tap-to-pay at select stores and Sam’s Club locations across the United States. The company plans to expand the feature to all U.S. stores and clubs by the end of 2026.
The contactless payment option will let customers use Apple Pay, Google Pay and contactless credit or debit cards to pay for their purchases. Tap-to-pay at Walmart gas stations is expected to follow in mid-2027.
The move marks a major change for Walmart, which has been one of the largest retailers in the U.S. to hold off on accepting popular NFC-based mobile wallets.
“We want customers and members to have choice in how they pay,” Walmart said in its announcement Friday. The company said tap-to-pay will add another option alongside existing methods such as cash, traditional credit and debit cards, and Walmart Pay.
A long-awaited change for Walmart shoppers
For customers who regularly use Apple Pay or Google Pay, the update should make checkout considerably simpler.
Instead of opening the Walmart app and using Walmart Pay, shoppers will be able to hold their phone or contactless card near a compatible payment terminal and complete the transaction.
The change is particularly notable because Walmart has historically taken a different approach to mobile payments.
The retailer launched Walmart Pay in 2016, allowing customers to pay by scanning a QR code through the Walmart app. The company also previously supported CurrentC, an industry-backed mobile payment system that ultimately failed to gain widespread adoption.
While other major retailers expanded support for contactless payments, Walmart continued to encourage customers to use its own payment system.
That is now changing.
Apple Pay and Google Pay are coming to Walmart
Once tap-to-pay is available at a location, shoppers will be able to use a range of contactless payment methods.
These include:
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Contactless credit cards
- Contactless debit cards
- Walmart Pay
- Cash and other existing payment methods
The expansion means customers will no longer need to rely exclusively on Walmart’s own mobile payment system if they want to pay with their smartphone.
For people who already keep their cards in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, the process should feel familiar: unlock the device, hold it near the payment terminal and complete the transaction.
Walmart says security is another benefit
Speed isn’t the only reason contactless payments have become popular.
Mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay use security features designed to protect payment information during transactions. Instead of simply handing over a physical card or sharing its details directly with a merchant, mobile wallets can use tokenized payment credentials.
Contactless cards also use NFC technology to communicate with compatible payment terminals without requiring the customer to swipe the magnetic stripe.
Walmart says the new payment option will provide customers with a quicker and more secure way to check out.
The rollout will happen in stages
Walmart isn’t turning on tap-to-pay everywhere at once.
The company says the rollout will begin at select Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations next week, with the goal of bringing contactless payment capabilities to all domestic stores and clubs by the end of 2026.
Customers will therefore see the feature appear gradually rather than immediately at every Walmart checkout.
Gas stations will have to wait longer. Walmart expects tap-to-pay functionality at its gas stations to arrive in mid-2027.
Why Walmart’s decision matters
Walmart’s decision represents more than a small checkout upgrade.
Mobile payments have become a routine part of everyday shopping, particularly as consumers increasingly use smartphones and smartwatches instead of carrying physical cards.
By supporting Apple Pay and Google Pay directly, Walmart is acknowledging that customers want to use the payment tools they already have on their devices.
The change also gives shoppers more flexibility. Someone who prefers Walmart Pay can continue using it, while another customer can simply tap an iPhone, Android phone or contactless card.
Ultimately, Walmart says the goal is choice.
The retailer summed up the change as part of a broader effort to make shopping easier—from how customers manage their money to how they pay at checkout.
After years of relying primarily on its own Walmart Pay system, the retail giant is finally embracing the contactless payment technology that millions of shoppers already use elsewhere.