Today sees the Apple Pay Germany launch with users already able to add bank cards to Apple Pay on their Apple devices. If you’re in Germany and looking to use the service, it’s possible that Apple Pay Germany is still rolling out so if it doesn’t work first time, wait a few hours and try again.
As you’d expect, when paying instore you can use FaceID or TouchID to authenticate before using your iPhone for contactless payments and Germans can now also use Apple Pay online with iPhone, iPad or Mac as well as for in-app purchases.
Having first launched in the US a touch over four years ago, Apple Pay Germany brings the total number of countries the service is available in to 23 countries. Countries Apple Pay is now available in addition to Germany are the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Singapore, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Brazil, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Poland, Ireland, Switzerland, Japan, and Ukraine, and the United States.
Apple Pay Germany has come relatively late considering the size of the country, but it appears that fees with banks were a big issue – Apple takes a cut of the fees for each transaction (paid for by the retailer to their bank) and the German financial institutions may have been reluctant to play ball with Apple’s demands.
Apple Pay Germany supported banks
Banks and card issuers that are supporting Apple Pay Germany at launch include; American Express, Maestro, Boon, Bunq, Comdirect, Deutsche Bank, Edenred, Fidor Bank, Hanseatic Bank, HypoVereinsbank, N26, O2 Banking, and VIMPay. Support is planned for another nine German banks in 2019.
