This move ends Walmart's years-long resistance to Apple Pay. The rollout began on August 24 in select stores and is expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2026, with gas stations gaining this functionality by mid-2027. Previously, Walmart primarily relied on its proprietary payment system, Walmart Pay. For Apple, this fills a major gap in Apple Pay's retail coverage, further solidifying its leading position in the U.S. mobile payment market. For Walmart, this initiative aims to reduce checkout friction and improve customer experience, but it means relinquishing some control over transaction data.