Apple Pay goes live in two new markets and one big Australian bank

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple Pay continues to go from strength to strength.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay has continued its expansion by going live in Hungary and Luxembourg. This marks 38 markets in which Apple’s mobile payment service is now available.

It is Apple Pay’s first new launch since it went live in Iceland at the start of May. That’s not the only Apple Pay news, either.

Apple Pay in Luxembourg is supported by BGL BNP Paribas. In Hungary, meanwhile, it’s supported by OTP Bank. Hopefully more banks will be added over time. Meanwhile in Australia, the National Australia Bank has started supporting the service.

Apple has said that it plans to expand to cover 40 regions by the end of 2019. Based on where we are less than half the way through the year, it seems Apple will easily hit this target. Recently a mobile banking service listed 16 new markets that Apple Pay is set to arrive in imminently. Interestingly, neither Hungary or Luxembourg were listed among them. You can check the list of supported countries on Apple’s website.

Apple Pay also looks set to debut in the Netherlands any day now.

Apple Pay’s expansion

Apple first introduced Apple Pay to its first market, the U.S., on October 20, 2014. Since then, it has rolled out the service in numerous countries. Tim Cook has previously suggested that rolling out Apple Pay had proven more challenging than expected to roll out. “Mobile payments have taken off slower than I personally would have thought if you asked me sitting here a few years ago,” he said.

It seems like things are really picking up, however. Given the ease of Apple Pay, that’s good news for everyone!

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