Merchants in Australia can now accept in-store contactless payments on iPhones using Apple’s Tap to Pay software point of sale (softPOS) feature.

Apple has rolled out the service with support from payment services providers Westpac bank and Tyro Payments, making Australia the second country outside the USA where Tap to Pay on iPhone has gone live after Taiwan.

“In Australia, contactless payments are ubiquitous. Now, with the introduction of Tap to Pay on iPhone, Australian businesses can accept contactless payments from wherever they do business,” Apple says.

“Merchants can enable Tap to Pay on iPhone through a supporting iOS app on an iPhone XS or later device running iOS 16.4 or later.

“Once enabled, merchants will simply prompt customers to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch to pay with Apple Pay, their contactless credit or debit card, or other digital wallet near the merchant’s iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using NFC technology.

“Tap to Pay on iPhone also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options.”

Additional payment platforms and apps including ANZ Worldline Payment Solutions, Stripe, Till Payments and Zeller are due to add support for Tap to Pay on iPhone in Australia “in the coming months”, according to Apple.

Apple originally announced in February 2022 that it was planning to allow US merchants to accept contactless payments on their iPhone, launched the service in the USA in July 2022 and rolled it out Taiwan in April this year. 

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