Formidable! Apple’s Tap to Pay is now available in France

Salut! Apple today introduced its Tap to Pay on iPhone system to France. It also updated its media images to include Euro rather than dollar currency. C’est formidable, non?

Apple lance Tap to Pay sur iPhone en France

What this means is that French companies can now accept in-person and contactless payments via Tap to Pay on iPhone. This extends to Apple Pay, mobile payments using NFC, and to standard contactless bank cards.

All you’ll need to do is hover the card near the iPhone to take your customer’s money (or pay the retailer).

An additional iOS app provided by a payments provider is required. The service is now available to payment platforms and app developers in France.

What Apple said

“We are very excited to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to merchants throughout France, so that they have a simple, secure and confidential way to accept contactless payments while benefiting from the power, security and usability of the iPhone,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple Vice President of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

“With more than 90% of bank cards in France equipped with contactless technology, and the increasing adoption of contactless payments, merchants will be able to accept payments from their customers with a simple gesture on their iPhone.”

Now available from

The BPCE Group (Banques Populaires, Caisses d’Epargne and Payplug),  Adyen, myPOS, Revolut, SumUp, Viva Wallet and Worldline all now offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to French clients.

BNP Paribas, Crédit Coopératif, Market Pay, Stancer, and Stripe will all support the service soon.

Tap to Pay on iPhone is available in all Apple Stores in France. It will be deployed in many points of sale, including those of Christian Dior Couture, Dyson, Rituals, and Sézane.

The Addition has already begun offering it through the thousands of restaurants it supports in France. Sephora, part of the LVMH group, will deploy it in French stores over the coming weeks.

Apple says the service will be compatible with contactless credit cards from major payment networks, including American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa. It will also be made available via CB (Cards Bancaires), France’s most used payment system.

[Also read: How Apple Pay makes money (Merchant Transaction Fees)]

What merchants are saying

“Tap to Pay on iPhone opens a new era in payment,” said Olivier Repessé, co-founder of L’Addition.

“After the innovation of contactless payment with Apple Pay, the Tap to Pay service on iPhone further expands the possibilities of contactless by allowing simple and secure collection anywhere, directly on the iPhone, without the need for any additional payment terminal. This will improve the consumer payment experience and allow restaurateurs to streamline table rotation.

“We are delighted to help democratize the use of this new payment solution in the hotel and restaurant sector in France.”

Tap to Pay is now available in Brazil, US, UK, Taiwan, Australia, Netherlands and Ukraine.

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