Walmart is finally embracing contactless payments, with Apple Pay and Google Pay rolling out to all U.S. Walmart and Sam's Club locations by the end of 2026. The Tap to Pay feature will begin deploying on August 24, with fuel stations following by mid-2027. Cash, chip cards, Walmart Pay, and Sam's Club Scan & Go will remain available alongside the new payment option.

After years of promoting its proprietary Walmart Pay app and resisting standard contactless payments, the retail giant is adopting widely accepted digital wallet technology. This allows shoppers to tap an eligible contactless card, phone, or smartwatch at the payment terminal instead of using physical cards or opening Walmart's app. Android users can add eligible cards to Google Wallet, while Walmart will also support adding Walmart, Sam's Club, and One Pay cards to compatible digital wallets.

The move addresses long-standing customer demand and brings Walmart in line with most U.S. retailers who already accept contactless payments. The company has effectively admitted that forcing shoppers into its own system was putting customers at a disadvantage. There's also a practical privacy benefit, as digital wallet transactions generally don't expose the retailer to physical card numbers.