Tap to Pay on iPhone launched in Japan

Apple has introduced Tap to Pay on iPhone in Japan, allowing various businesses to use their iPhones as a payment terminal. This feature, which arrived in the US in February 2022, enables iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets.

All transactions are encrypted, and Apple does not have access to information about the purchased items or the purchaser. No additional hardware or credit card machine is needed to use Tap to Pay on iPhone, as it utilises NFC technology for secure authentication of contactless payments and also supports PIN entry for accessibility.

Several payment platforms in Japan, including GMO Financial Gate's stera tap app, Recruit's Air Pay Touch app, and Square's Square POS register app, will be the first to offer touch payment with iPhone to businesses.

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Adyen will also support this feature in the near future, and it will be available at Apple Stores in Japan. iPhone's touch payment supports contactless credit and debit cards from major networks such as American Express, JCB, Mastercard, and Visa.

Tap to Pay on iPhone requires iPhone XS or newer models and functions like a standard Apple Pay transaction for customers. Sellers simply need to open the app, register the sale, and present their iPhone to the buyer, who can then use a suitable contactless payment method.

Japan is now the ninth region to support Tap to Pay, following similar rollouts in the U.K., Australia, Taiwan, Brazil, Ukraine, France, and the Netherlands last year.