Skip to main content

The biggest competition to Samsung and Apple Pay? Walmart Pay, of all things

walmart pay credit card
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s a dinosaur in the world of retail, but Walmart is showing that its age and its size certainly isn’t keeping it from keeping up with the times. The retail giant rolled out its Walmart Pay feature almost a year ago, and as per a new study published by Infoscout and PYMNTS.com, the mobile wallet is actually the third most frequently used option behind Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. This is particularly surprising, given that Walmart Pay can only be used at, you guessed it, Walmart.

But nevertheless, the feature (which can be accessed in the Walmart app) is now available to all of the company’s more than 4,600 stores, and Walmart is doing everything it can to ensure that it keeps attracting more and more users.

Its latest feature comes in the form of Walmart Credit Cards. If you’re a frequent shopper at Walmart and apply for the credit card, you no longer need to wait for the physical piece of plastic to arrive to start taking advantage of your new payment method. Instead, Walmart says, “from the moment they are approved, customers can use their new Walmart Credit Card at all Walmart store locations and on Walmart.com.” It’s the latest in the company’s quest to ensure that customers can spend money (and Walmart can make money) more easily (and more securely) than ever before.

And of course, shopping by way of the Walmart app gives customers access to perks and deals that they might otherwise miss.

“We’re always looking to the future and how we can better serve our customers,” the firm said in a press release. “By bringing together all of the conveniences of Walmart — great stores, convenient pickup, easy checkout and a top-notch app – we know that we’re delivering one seamless shopping experience for customers in a way no other retailer can.”

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Is the Apple Card any better than a regular credit card? We asked an expert
is apple card worth it feat omg

While surprise unveilings are not uncommon for Apple, the announcement of a new credit card at its March event was unexpected. The Apple Card promises no fees, cash rewards, and Apple’s trademark commitment to privacy and security. It’s housed in the Apple Wallet app, so you can use it through your iPhone or Apple Watch anywhere that accepts Apple Pay. For places that don’t accept Apple Pay, there’s the titanium physical card with your name laser etched on it.

It's available now, sounds desirable, and is certain to attract Apple fans, but is it worth getting for the average person?
Is the Apple Card worth it?
“This depends on how you spend and on what,” Dana Marineau, vice president and financial advocate at Credit Karma, told Digital Trends. “Since the card rewards you more when you use Apple Pay, the likely target consumer is iPhone users. It may make more sense for an avid Apple fan and user to use this card -- those who buy a lot of Apple products or use its subscription services, such as Apple Music, etc.”

Read more
Line Pay’s global digital Visa card helps it take on Apple, Google, and Samsung
Line AI logo

Messaging app Line is pushing ahead with its financial technology plans, and has announced a wider partnership with Visa to integrate not just contactless payments, but to add a prepaid digital Visa card into the app itself. What’s more, Line states the service will be available to all the 187 million people globally using its app, a departure from many previous additional features from Line — such as Line Music, and the Clova smart home products — which are often only available in its core Japanese, Taiwanese, or Thai markets.

The new Line Pay and Visa feature will let you apply for a digital Visa card that will be stored in the Line app, ready to make payments with any of Visa’s 54 million merchants around the world. A screenshot of the new feature shows the option to add money or to send money, below an image of a Line Pay-branded Visa card. In the future, you will be able to add other Visa cards to the service.

Read more
Here’s how iOS 18 could change the way you use your iPhone
The lock screen on the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

It seems the long-overdue Siri overhaul will finally arrive at WWDC in just over a week from now, and the digital assistant will embrace AI trickery in all its forms. According to Bloomberg, Apple’s planned upgrades for Siri will deeply integrate with on-device functions at the OS level and with the installed apps, too.

“The new system will allow Siri to take command of all the features within apps for the first time,” the report says. The most notable capability is that Siri will only require voice prompts to interact with apps, thanks to a major change in the AI architecture powering it and putting large language models in command, just the way Gemini or ChatGPT draw their own skills from such models.

Read more