The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated the adoption of cashless payments, but for local businesses, the cost of purchasing payment terminals has remained a barrier, and there are still many cases where adoption has not progressed. This time, as a cashless payment solution for such small business operators, Apple has announced the launch of "Tap to Pay on iPhone," a service that enables contactless payments using only an iPhone, in Japan. This will make it possible to accept contactless payments via credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and more.
Cashless Payments Now Possible Without a Dedicated Payment Device
This "Tap to Pay on iPhone" service first launched in the US in 2022 under the name "Tap to Pay". Since then, it has also been rolled out in the UK, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and other regions.
Businesses looking to adopt cashless payments can simply download a compatible app provided by a third party to start accepting cashless payments using an iPhone.
A key feature of Tap to Pay on iPhone is that it opens up the NFC chip built into the iPhone, allowing third parties to develop applications that utilize it. This also makes it possible to integrate a payment feature using "Tap to Pay on iPhone" directly within an iOS app.
Alongside today's announcement, it was also revealed that GMO Financial Gate, Inc.'s stera tap app, Recruit Co., Ltd.'s Air Pay Touch app, and Square's Square POS Register app will be the first payment platforms in Japan to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to merchants.
In addition, Adyen will support the service within the coming months, and it will also be available at Apple Stores in Japan. Tap to Pay on iPhone can be used with contactless-enabled credit and debit cards from major payment networks including AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, and Visa. It can also be used with credit cards registered on iPhone or Android devices.
A software development kit (SDK) for developers is already available and ready to use. For more details, please refer to this page.
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