Apple has expanded Tap to Pay on iPhone to five additional European markets: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco, and Norway. The capability lets merchants accept in-person contactless payments using only an iPhone and a supported iOS app, with no extra terminals required. Customers can pay with Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, or other digital wallets by holding their device or card near the merchant’s iPhone.
According to Apple, the rollout is live with local payment platforms and banks onboard at launch. This keeps Tap to Pay’s European momentum going and gives businesses a quick path to adoption through partner apps that handle payment flows, reconciliation, and receipts. Apple reiterates that transactions are processed securely on-device and that it does not store card details or know what customers purchase.
Availability by market and launch partners is as follows, with more platforms expected to join over time. This list comes directly from Apple’s announcement and reflects providers ready on day one, so merchants can get started immediately after updating their apps or choosing a compatible platform.
- Estonia: SumUp and Revolut
- Latvia: SumUp
- Lithuania: SumUp and Revolut
- Monaco: Adyen and BNP Paribas
- Norway: Adyen, Nexi, PayPal, Stripe, SumUp, Surfboard Payments, and Viva.com
Tap to Pay on iPhone supports Apple Pay and contactless cards from major networks including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. In Norway, BankAxept is also supported via Surfboard Payments, which is relevant for domestic cards and helps ensure broad acceptance for local shoppers. Because the experience is entirely software-driven, merchants can take payments anywhere they do business, from storefront counters to pop-ups and on-site services.
Apple states that the feature works on iPhone XS or later running the latest iOS version. At checkout, the merchant simply prompts the customer to tap their card, iPhone, Apple Watch, or compatible wallet, and the transaction completes using NFC. Apple emphasizes privacy and security – payments are encrypted and handled by the Secure Element, and neither card numbers nor transaction details are stored by Apple.
With this expansion, Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in 43 countries and regions. For small businesses, the appeal is the ability to start accepting contactless payments with the phone they already use, reducing cost and complexity. Larger retailers can deploy Tap to Pay to mobilize staff, relieve checkout bottlenecks, and support flexible line-busting in peak periods without new hardware rollouts.
