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Apple Pay is now available in Canada with American Express, UK Apple Pay adds Tesco Bank and TSB

Screen Shot 2015-11-17 at 08.15.33

As expected, Apple Pay is now available in Canada. You can use use eligible American Express bank cards to make mobile payments at a whole host of retailers that support the NFC technology across Canada. Apple Pay retailer mobile payments works with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. Some had suggested that Apple may need to push out an iOS software update but iOS 9.2 remains in beta — this all works from within the Wallet setup on iOS 9.1.

For the UK, Apple has also brought Tesco Bank and TSB onboard … expanding Apple Pay to even more people in the country.

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To add cards in Apple Pay, open Wallet app and click on the ‘Add Debit/Credit Card’ option. Unlike the launch in US and UK, which supported many regional banks, the Canadian Apple Pay launch is limited to just American Express cards. For Canada users, you may have to change your region to US in Settings for the Add Credit / Debit Card option to appear. It is still rolling out ahead of an ‘official’ launch later today so the region change is an interim step.

It’s not known if Apple intends to continue expansion into other Canadian banks. Apple also has announced a similar deal in Australia: using American Express as the conduit to launch Apple Pay there. Apple Pay with American Express is coming to Spain, Singapore and Hong Kong in 2016.

Apple Pay-Canada

For Canada, Apple Pay is supported a wide variety of big retailers like McDonald’s, Walmart and of course Apple Stores. Look for the normal contactless logo in store to see if Apple Pay is supported.

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On the UK front, Tesco Bank and TSB have today launched Apple Pay support. For Tesco, you can use any  MasterCard Tesco Bank card. Rather amusingly, the distribution of NFC in Tesco retail supermarkets is lacking so there’s a good chance you won’t be able to use Apple Pay on your Tesco bank card in Tesco itself. TSB’s Apple Pay launch includes some 5% cashback promotions so check out their website for full details.

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Comments

  1. usmansaghir - 8 years ago

    Still missing Barclays. 😢

  2. Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 8 years ago

    I’ve seen some Apple Pay signs in Morrisons, but hilariously with a £20 limit. Yes Morrisons, my weekly shop only costs £19.99, why would it cost any less!

    After the initial media interest in Apple Pay in the UK its gone awfully quiet since. I see no sign of it in any large retailer, not even with a retarded and utterly random £20 or £30 cap on it.

    • robertsammons - 8 years ago

      The cap can be taken off, it’s a case of updating the software/hardware. Many places now do limitless with Apple Pay like M&S, Apple, Pret.

      • Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 8 years ago

        I know it can be removed, but it so rarely is it makes the whole thing rather pointless. Also the absurdity of being able to add a Tesco credit card to Apple Pay, but not being able to use it Tesco is hilarious. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

  3. The Co Op have a sign saying no limit on Apple Pay, happy days :)

  4. Finally I can now add my Tesco card.

  5. Apple Pay is now live in Canada…no need to change region settings. Just open Wallet and go!!!

    • virtualstorm - 8 years ago

      It does’t work for me. I am trying to add AMEX but says only available in US and UK. Am I missing something? I am in Quebec. Thx

  6. Steve Scotland - 8 years ago

    Great, so Tesco Bank but no actual Tesco Bank Accounts work, just their credit cards, that sucks!

  7. AbsarokaSheriff - 8 years ago

    Question for Canadians, is there a limit on the American Express purchases like there is for some merchants in the UK.
    If you are shopping at Walmart in Canada using Apple Pay I would think the equivalent of 20 pounds UK would be limiting.

    And isn’t it ironic that Walmart in Canada supports Apple Pay. I hope they can get more experience with it in Canada and bring it to the US.

    • Rio (@Crzy_rio) - 8 years ago

      On the American Express side there is no limit on the purchase, however you are limited to what the merchant sets as a limit on the terminal

  8. AbsarokaSheriff - 8 years ago

    I see Apple Pay in Canada is supported with AmEx Small Business and Corporate Cards as well. That took 9 months in the US to get corporate support.

    And this article points out that it is supported in apps in Canada. In apps is one of the best way to use Apple Pay because you don’t need to rely on the merchant to secure your credit card number, can change credit cards on the fly depending upon benefits, and don’t need to enter your credit card for each individual app.

  9. emarket71 - 8 years ago

    Apple pay Mobile payments works with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. Does anyone know whether apple pay works with iPhone 4s with OS update?

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.