Walmart contactless payments rollout begins at select US stores on Aug. 24

Walmart contactless payments will begin rolling out on Aug. 24 at selected Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations in the US. The retailer plans to extend Tap to Pay to every US Walmart store and Sam’s Club club by the end of 2026, then to fuel stations by the middle of 2027, according to its Aug. 21 announcement.

The timetable makes clear that the service will not be available throughout the chain at launch. Walmart did not identify the initial locations or set out eligibility rules for particular cards, devices or digital wallets.

Walmart said customers and Sam’s Club members will be able to use eligible contactless cards, phones and smartwatches at checkout. It also said eligible Walmart, Sam’s Club and OnePay cards can be placed in digital wallets for contactless purchases.

When will Walmart contactless payments be available everywhere?

Walmart’s stated target is the end of 2026 for all of its US stores and Sam’s Club locations. Its fuel-station rollout has a later target, mid-2027. Until then, access to the new option will depend on whether an individual store or club is among the selected locations receiving Tap to Pay.

The company’s announcement does not name Apple Pay or Google Pay. Finextra, a financial-technology news publisher, reported that both services will be usable under the rollout. That brand-specific detail has not been confirmed in Walmart’s published announcement.

What payment choices remain at Walmart and Sam’s Club?

Tap to Pay adds to, rather than replaces, the payment methods Walmart already lists. The retailer said cash, credit cards and its app-based Walmart Pay remain available. Walmart Pay lets users pay in the Walmart app and view purchases and receipts, while also providing access to Walmart+ fuel savings, according to the company.

Sam’s Club members can also continue to use Scan & Go, which lets them scan and pay for items while shopping instead of using a conventional checkout line, Walmart said.

The shift follows Walmart’s long use of Walmart Pay, a QR-code-based option developed within its own payments offering. Finextra reported that the retailer previously used that approach as part of a wider effort to run payments within its own ecosystem. Walmart now frames the change as an expansion of checkout choice and an effort to make everyday shopping easier.

For shoppers, the immediate practical point is the phased schedule: a contactless card, phone or smartwatch may be accepted at a participating location from Aug. 24, but Walmart has not said which locations will be first or named specific third-party wallet brands in its announcement.

This story draws on original reporting from Finextra Research.