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PayPal Brings Contactless Payments to German iPhones Under New EU Rules

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Earlier this month, PayPal said that it would debut contactless iPhone payments in Germany, and German iPhone users now appear to be able to use the feature. According to German site iPhone Ticker, some PayPal customers in Germany have access to PayPal as an alternative to Apple Pay.

paypal-tap-to-pay-germany.jpg

PayPal can be used for NFC tap to pay functionality just like Apple Pay, with payments initiated in the same way. PayPal users in Germany are able to set PayPal as the default payment app over Apple Pay, using the side button to bring up PayPal as a payment option for one-tap contactless payments in retail locations.

If PayPal is not set as the default payment method, contactless payments can be made by opening up the PayPal app.

PayPal is able to offer direct tap to pay options in Germany because the Digital Markets Act in Europe forced Apple to allow third-party apps to use the iPhone's NFC chip. Apple has historically restricted access to NFC for payment purposes, only allowing contactless payments with Apple Pay.

With the new regulations, third-party apps from payment services and banks can access the full functionality of the NFC chip, giving iPhone users an alternative to Apple Pay and the Wallet app.

Germany is PayPal's first test market, but the rollout is likely to expand to other European countries in the coming months. To use PayPal for contactless payments, German iPhone users will need the latest version of the PayPal app and a compatible debit or credit card. PayPal can be used in retail stores where Mastercard payments are accepted.

PayPal's tap to pay options are limited to the iPhone, and the feature does not work on the Apple Watch because Apple has not been required to open up NFC on the Apple Watch. PayPal won't be able to bring the contactless payment option to the United States or other countries unless those locations adopt similar rules requiring Apple to expand NFC access.

To attract customers to use PayPal instead of Apple Pay, PayPal is offering cashback promotions in the PayPal app, and will eventually add a pay over time feature with options for six, 12, and 24 monthly installments for purchases.

NFC access is available for banking and wallet apps in the European Economic Area, which includes the 27 European Union countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

Article Link: PayPal Brings Contactless Payments to German iPhones Under New EU Rules
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/13/paypal-contactless-payments-germany/
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Chungry said:
I'm not sure why this was ever blocked
Click to expand...
I like this comment, because there has been a contingent of Apple users who have taken every opportunity to criticise the European Union, but then do a 180 when they realise such features
make a lot of sense.

This particular case is one of Apple not wanting to share their pie, most likely with a crumbly argument of NFC payments not being safe unless it’s Apple Pay…
 
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Apple Knowledge Navigator said:
I like this comment, because there has been a contingent of Apple users who have taken every opportunity to criticise the European Union, but then do a 180 when they realise such features
make a lot of sense.

This particular case is one of Apple not wanting to share their pie, most likely with a crumbly argument of NFC payments not being safe unless it’s Apple Pay…
Click to expand...
The only drawback I can think of is getting forced to download and use multiple apps to pay if a merchant decides certain methods aren't allowed.
 
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Just opened PayPal and the splash screen popped up. Set up was very easy and I guess it’s all good to go now.
Very handy because my bank’s apps often bug out and stop working altogether.
I mean, I don’t like PayPal, the app will apparently never have a dark mode and Face ID never works for me and the whole Honey thing wasnt great either. But this seems nice.
 
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Yeah don't mind either, though would prefer Apple Pay still ( I do believe I can trust Apple with my stuff). The EU has some valid claims though the latest ones from 2025 are a bit far fetched like sharing Airdrop stuff or the Airpods thingie but yeah in the end you buy it and it is your device, it gives you a choice. Though most consumer usually have no clue, like for example the Epic store story, that dude is just the worst of the worst with China in the back just waiting to drain your bank account.
 
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I7guy said:
That’s a big drawback. A fragment nfc pay system whereby Apple Pay may not be supported in the future. Less options for consumers.
Click to expand...

The technology doesn’t really matter. The system just sees it as a visa or Mastercard as far as I understand how these terminals work.

Different story in the US (Walmart, I am looking at you)
 
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I'm all for open and competition but what do I get from this?
Apple's reputedly getting 0.15% from each transaction from Visa or Mastercard.
What are the fees involved with PayPal? What do they get?

I use PayPal and have both person and business accounts and they are pretty awful.
Really poor software and high fees for not a lot in return.
Why would I use PayPal over Apple pay's system with most bank cards (Visa/Mastercard etc)?
 
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Apple Knowledge Navigator said:
I like this comment, because there has been a contingent of Apple users who have taken every opportunity to criticise the European Union, but then do a 180 when they realise such features
make a lot of sense.

This particular case is one of Apple not wanting to share their pie, most likely with a crumbly argument of NFC payments not being safe unless it’s Apple Pay…
Click to expand...
Hm. Don't know if that top part is directed at me, but I never agreed with locking down NFC to only one payment provider (and I'm fairly neutral with the EU stuff) Literally the only platform to do so. It's like buying a wallet but you can only put a discover card in it. Maybe you can clarify if you're taking a shot so I know if my response in kind will mean I'm forbidden from posting here for a while

Apple pay isn't even available in some countries so it makes sense that if you buy a phone in one of said countries, you should be able to use a local option, or gets cheaper phone without the feature
 
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I7guy said:
That’s a big drawback. A fragment nfc pay system whereby Apple Pay may not be supported in the future. Less options for consumers.
Click to expand...
Funny how you're worried about less options for consumers when it means less $ for Apple, but when Apple blocked others from accessing the NFC chip you didn't appear to be concerned about how that reduced options for consumers. Why is that?
 
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I am living in the EU and I despise EU's digital regulation, directed only against US Tech companies. I opted many years ago for Apple's wallet garden, otherwise I would have bought an Android.
Apple Pay now is widely accepted in Germany and it works great, I pay nearly everything with my Apple watch. No need for PayPal on my side. (I use PayPal online.)
 
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Seoras said:
Why would I use PayPal over Apple pay's system with most bank cards (Visa/Mastercard etc)?
Click to expand...
Maybe someone wants to split a purchase into 4 interest-free, bi-weekly payments. Maybe someone wants to pay monthly via a 3, 6, 12, or 24-month payment plans with $0 down.

www.paypal.com

Buy Now Pay Later | Pay in 4 | Pay Monthly | PayPal US

Use PayPal's Buy Now Pay Later App to pay at your favorite retailers. Select a Pay Later offer at checkout, Pay in 4 or Pay Monthly, for qualifying purchases.
www.paypal.com www.paypal.com

You can do that with PayPal. I don't believe you can do that with a credit card using Apple Pay at brick-and-mortar stores, just online.
 
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Opening up the NFC chip can also benefit transit operators. Using Apple Wallet can require a commission to Apple (which they might not want to pay for) and upgrades to the RFID protocol that is not compatible with existing fare gates
 
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sw1tcher said:
Funny how you're worried about less options for consumers when it means less $ for Apple, but when Apple blocked others from accessing the NFC chip you didn't appear to be concerned about how that reduced options for consumers. Why is that?
Click to expand...
It's clearly better for the vast majority of Apple's users that Apple Pay be widely accepted by both retailers and banks/credit card companies. Apple devices only having one solution absolutely helped with widespread adoption of tap to pay (at least in the US, where it was practically unheard of by "regular people" before Apple Pay was released).

Having one option absolutely increased both bank and merchant adoption. Imagine if you needed to download the Amex Wallet to use an Amex card with NFC or a Chase Wallet to use a Chase Card with NFC or a Target App to use NFC at Target, etc. Would have never gotten off the ground.

At this point, I don't particularly think it matters that Apple is being forced to open up the NFC chip (although I remain skeptical of governments dictating to companies how their products and software work outside of health / safety / security sorts of things), but I suspect it is much better for Apple's customers that the NFC chip was restricted in the first place.
 
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