Apple Pay arrives in Bahrain with support from major banks

Almost a decade since Apple started rolling out Apple Pay support, it’s still being expanded to more countries. Today, Bahrain, a country in the Persian Gulf, is adding support for Apple’s own payment system.

The banks NBB, ila, and BBK have each announced that they are supporting Apple Pay. NBB, for example, says its customers can enjoy “faster, easier, and safer payments” with its Mastercard and Visa cards supported. ila Bank invites its users to “enjoy all benefits” of their card while using Apple Pay.

BBK, on the other hand, is only offering support for its debit cards, and in an Instagram publication, it promotes a Visa card. “Enjoy all the benefits of your BBK Debit Card using Apple Pay. it’s the easy, secure, and private way to pay.”

In August, Apple Pay launched in Qatar with the QNB bank. While rumors suggested the South American country Chile could be next, it was Bahrain that received support first.

Over the past few months, 9to5Mac has been reporting that Central America could soon receive a major expansion with lots of countries supporting Apple Pay. According to people familiar with the matter, it’s just up to Apple to give the green light to the banks to start rolling out Apple’s own payment system in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, and more.

Here’s how to add a card to Apple Pay

1. Fire up Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Add Credit or Debit Card. If your iTunes & App Store account already has a compatible card on file, iOS will automatically recommend adding it to Apple Pay, if not you’ll need to either take a snapshot of your card, or enter it manually.
2. Depending on your bank, you’ll need to verify via phone, SMS, or e-mail. Most large banks will send you an SMS verification code, while others may require you to call the bank to verify your identity. This process can be immediate, or sometimes take several days to complete depending on your bank.
3. Once verification is complete, you’re all set up! Now you’ll be able to tap your iPhone at any store, restaurant, or gas station that accepts contactless payments, use it in apps, on the web, or send/receive money from friends or family through iMessage.

Do you live in Bahrain? Were you able to add your card to Apple Pay? Tell us in the comment section below.

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