In Canada, you can take tap payments directly on your smartphone (iPhone 11 or later, or NFC-enabled Android) without extra hardware by using apps like Square, Stripe, or Moneris. Simply download a supported POS app, enable "Tap to Pay" in settings, enter the amount, and have customers tap their card or digital wallet on the back of your phone.
Contactless or tap payment
Download a payment app that stores your credit, debit or prepaid card information on your mobile device. The app may be from your financial institution or may be a mobile wallet. Look for the Contactless Symbol on in-store payment terminals. Launch your payment app.
Contactless payments are protected by multiple layers of security and accepted by merchants across Canada.
To prepare your Android device to use Tap to Pay:
Six in 10 Canadians prefer to leave their physical wallet at home for short trips, according to a recent Interac survey. Be ready to accept all types of in person contactless payments including Apple Pay and other digital wallets with Tap to Pay on iPhone.
Using Apple Pay in Canada
Using Apple Pay in-store is simple once your card is set up. At checkout, look for the Apple Pay logo or contactless payment symbol. To make a payment, hold your iPhone near the terminal, and authenticate the transaction with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
Apple Wallet is an app on iPhone and Apple Watch that securely and conveniently organizes your credit and debit cards, boarding passes, tickets, car keys, rewards cards and more — all in one place.
Yes, you can tap a card on an iPhone in two main ways: customers can tap their contactless cards/devices on a merchant's iPhone using Tap to Pay on iPhone (requiring an app like Square or Stripe), and users can tap their own iPhone (with Apple Pay loaded) on compatible readers to pay, by double-clicking the side/home button and holding the top of the phone near the symbol.
Take in-person payments with only your Android
Accept contactless cards and digital wallets right from your smartphone with Tap to Pay on Android and the SumUp app.
Yes. US currency is accepted at all most local attractions, restaurants and shops. Please visit the Currency & Exchange Rate page to learn further details on using your American money and the Canadian Dollar.
In Canada, contactless payments are rapidly becoming the dominant in-store method. According to a report by Payments Canada, in 2023, contactless payments accounted for 63% of all in-store transactions — a 17% increase year-over-year (5).
Well, Canada is a pretty card-friendly country, and most places accept debit or credit cards (woo-hoo!). But, it's still a good idea to have a little Canadian Dollar cash in your pocket for small purchases like street food, tips, or when you're just out and about exploring.
Get the Google Pay app
Can I use contactless in Canada? Yes, you can tap to pay while travelling through Canada. Sources used: Statista - POS payment methods in Canada.
You have 2 ways to tap to pay in a store: Unlock your phone and hold it near the reader: You can tap the terminal when your phone is unlocked, even when the Google Wallet app is not open. If prompted, use your Android screen lock to verify the payment.
You can check for NFC settings on your Samsung Android device by looking in the settings app > connections > tap NFC and contactless payments. If you see an option for NFC there, your device is enabled to make NFC payments.
To set up Tap to Pay on iPhone, enable it in the payment app of your choice. To accept a payment, open the app, enter the amount, and present your iPhone to your customer. To pay, the customer holds their card horizontally or places their device directly over the payment symbol.
To use Tap to Pay on your iPhone, you typically double-click the side button (or home button), authenticate with Face ID/Touch ID/passcode, then hold the top of your iPhone near the contactless symbol on the card reader to pay with your linked cards in the Wallet app; for accepting payments as a business, you use a supported payment app (like Square, PayPal) where you start the payment and the customer taps their device or card on your iPhone's top.
Jun 2, 2025 Knowledge
How to pay using Apple Pay in stores and other places
No, Apple Pay and Apple Wallet aren't the same, but they work together: Apple Wallet is the app (your digital container) that stores your credit/debit cards, loyalty cards, tickets, and passes, while Apple Pay is the technology/service that uses those cards in the Wallet to make secure, contactless payments in stores, online, and in apps. Think of the Wallet as your physical purse and Pay as the tap-to-pay function.
Apple Pay participating banks in Canada, Latin America, and the United States. Apple Pay works with many of the major credit and debit cards from the top banks. Just add your supported cards and continue to get all the rewards, benefits, and security of your cards. We're working with more banks to support Apple Pay.