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Apple Account Cards in Wallet Expanding to More Countries

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple is bringing support for the Apple Account Card in the Wallet app to the UK, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and Austria, according to Nicolás Alvarez.

apple-account-card-feature.jpg

The Apple Account Card option for Wallet started rolling out in 2022, but it has been limited to a small number of countries since launch. The card displays the Apple credit balance associated with a user's Apple Account, and the card can be used to make purchases in the Apple Store, online, or for apps, subscriptions, and other Apple services.

Money can be added to an Apple Account Card in Wallet using the included "Add Money" feature, which relies on a linked credit or debit card. Apple Store gift cards also add to the Apple Account balance.

Adding an Apple Account Card can be done by opening up the Wallet app, tapping the "+" button, and choosing the option from the Available Cards list.

The Apple Account Card shows the account balance associated with the Apple Account, as well as transactions that have been made with the card.

Support for Apple Account Cards in additional countries is either available now, or will be coming soon, per Alvarez.

Article Link: Apple Account Cards in Wallet Expanding to More Countries
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/11/wallet-apple-account-card-expansion/
breather said:
Why would I get this?
Click to expand...
I can only think of one reason (and I invite others to correct me if I am wrong):

If you have family sharing on, you have to share a payment method for the App Store (etc.) with the family organiser. However, with this, you may be able to "pre-load" your 'personal' (aka non-shared) Apple Account Card using your own payment method, and then use that to pay for App Store/other things.

This would be a pretty nice workaround to the family sharing restriction.

(Note: you can already do this with Apple gift cards, but this would streamline the process)
 
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arc of the universe said:
a year or so ago, i tried using this.
when i bought something in the on line apple store, any balance on the card was automatically used first. you could not set it to not use the apple card balance.
Click to expand...
Yep, I’ve been complaining about this issue for years. You can’t bypass the gift card balance, so even recurring subscriptions use it before ever using the credit card. I can’t even load my gift cards from Christmas to convert them to digital versions (and avoid losing them) because the balance will inevitably be deleted. So, to me, it’s quite useless.
 
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breather said:
Why would I get this?
Click to expand...
It’s not something you get. This isn’t the Apple Card as in the Apple credit card that you have to apply for. This is just showing you what your Apple account balance is. It’s much easier than having to dig into settings then your Apple ID or go into the iTunes app and look at your balance there.
 
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robantonelli said:
Yep, I’ve been complaining about this issue for years. You can’t bypass the gift card balance, so even recurring subscriptions use it before ever using the credit card. I can’t even load my gift cards from Christmas to convert them to digital versions (and avoid losing them) because the balance will inevitably be deleted. So, to me, it’s quite useless.
Click to expand...
You are correct that if you redeem gift cards to your account, then that will be used before the default payment method. I personally like this because if I get a gift card from someone then it automatically takes over whatever charges go on my Apple ID. This is convenient because if you don’t like a whole bunch of little charges to whatever card you have as your default payment, you can just load $100 for example and that will hold off your account for a little while. Right now I just have it go to my Apple credit card so the little charges don’t bother me.

If I didn’t want to redeem it to my Apple ID, then I would keep the physical card. For example, if I wanted to use it to make a purchase at the Apple Store.


What you’re looking for is a way to put a gift card in the wallet rather than redeeming it to your Apple account. It would be a card in the Apple wallet just like your other cards.

I thought there was a way to do this, but maybe not anymore since they’ve changed how Apple gift cards work. They used to be Apple gift cards that went towards your Apple account balance, and there was other gift cards for buying things at the Apple store. I remember having one of the store gift cards because I bought it thinking I was going to use it for my Apple account. At some point when they changed the system, it merged into what we have today so I think that’s what happened to it.
 
jonblatho said:
$1,800+ is an insane Apple Account balance.
Click to expand...
Let's play a game. How could someone get that balance?

I'll go first. Someone traded in to Apple a decently spec'ed Mac Pro and got $750 credit for it along with a Mac Studio and got $1,150 for it. The person then bought 4 Apple Polishing cloths ($19 each + tax) to wipe away all their tears for the low trade-in value they got.

trade.png
 
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Apple still limits you to $2000 in the Apple Account.

I collect trade ins and gift cards and then splurge, but they limit how much you can put on one AppleID. I would have hoped they would bump to $5000 by now to cover a Display and Studio, or an AVP.
 
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arc of the universe said:
a year or so ago, i tried using this.
when i bought something in the on line apple store, any balance on the card was automatically used first. you could not set it to not use the apple card balance.
Click to expand...
That is interesting. I have to use a web page, but I can and I can set XXX from the Balance and the rest on a credit card... but I have to use a web page. I can't do that with the app on iPhone or iPad. I bought a Mini a month ago and could split it.
 
I get it, but the city I live in is increasingly dangerous to meet people in person over electronics sales. I would never have someone to my home, and I meet people at a cafe a mile away, and half the time they do not even show up. Selling online now runs between 15-30% commissions/ultimate costs. And then the time factor. I used to sell a lot of fixed or broken Apple machines for cash, so much that in 5 years I paid in full for a Range Rover. But now I wouldn't do that as cash and meeting is too risky in Los Angeles. I do the trade ins because it takes 5 minutes and I rationalize it with the money value of time.
 
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I’ve had this ‘Apple Account Card’ on all of my iOS devices for a while now

I could see a possible use case for this feature (for myself) for purchasing big ticket items at a brick & mortar Apple Retail Store (most likely Apple🍎Rockingham Park) because whomever is ringing up your purchases in the store has the ability to use this ‘Apple Account Card’ as a payment method (to purchase items in store)

& I always obtain my funds for my ‘Apple Account Card’ from purchasing Apple E-gift cards (from target.com) using my
🎯RedCard because Target takes off 5% on all e-gift cards (instantly at checkout) so a $500 Apple E-gift card (emailed) only costs $475 on target.com using RedCard

One of the coolest features that I like about this Apple Account Card is the instant (real time) notifications that go through the top of your iPhone screen (anytime a charge is billed to your account) whether it’s from iTunes or the App Store (or a reoccurring Apple subscription) It’s nice to know that you are charged right then and there - instead of having to wait for the auto generated email that Apple sends out (within 2 to 3 days of the charge being billed)
 
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Justin Cymbal said:
I’ve had this ‘Apple Account Card’ on all of my iOS devices for a while now

I could see a possible use case for this feature (for myself) for purchasing big ticket items at a brick & mortar Apple Retail Store (most likely Apple🍎Rockingham Park) because whomever is ringing up your purchases in the store has the ability to use this ‘Apple Account Card’ as a payment method (to purchase items in store)

& I always obtain my funds for my ‘Apple Account Card’ from purchasing Apple E-gift cards (from target.com) using my
🎯RedCard because Target takes off 5% on all e-gift cards (instantly at checkout) so a $500 Apple E-gift card (emailed) only costs $475 on target.com using RedCard

One of the coolest features that I like about this Apple Account Card is the instant (real time) notifications that go through the top of your iPhone screen (anytime a charge is billed to your account) whether it’s from iTunes or the App Store (or a reoccurring Apple subscription) It’s nice to know that you are charged right then and there - instead of having to wait for the auto generated email that Apple sends out (within 2 to 3 days of the charge being billed)
Click to expand...
Your receipt comment is really good. I have wondered for YEARS why it takes Apple so long to send a receipt when the e-commerce platform has everything instantly. I can order things from Amazon and have them delivered and return them before Apple sends me a receipt.
 
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You’d have thought Apple Wallet would save on space, but if it’s expanding so much that’s it’s spreading to other countries… that’s one big wallet.
 
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