Aussie businesses can now accept contactless payments with just an iPhone

Apple today launched Tap to Pay on iPhone in Australia, allowing business owners to accept contactless payments without the need for a terminal.

As the name suggests, Tap to Pay on iPhone effectively turns an iPhone into a payment terminal. It can accept both physical cards as well as contactless payments from other devices - whether they're another iPhone or Android.

To use Tap to Pay on iPhone, you or your business need to have an account with a supported payment platform. At launch, these include Westpac EFTPOS Air and Tyro, but ANZ Worlldine, Stripe, and Zeller will also implement the tech in the coming months.

Businesses using Tap to Pay on iPhone won't have an explicit relationship with Apple, and will continue to solely pay a transaction fee to their payment platform. 

Tap to Pay on iPhone is supported on the iPhone XS and newer. Devices need to be running iOS 16.4 at a minimum to access the feature.

The feature is naturally geared toward sole traders and small businesses like tradies and market stall holders, but is built to scale for hospitality and large retailers. Apple itself will be using Tap to Pay on iPhone in its Australian retail stores later this year.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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