Cover for the October 2026 Apple Pay @12 Report. PYMNTS Intelligence finds that Apple Pay could serve $2.8 trillion in in-store sales. Explore why shoppers are still reaching for cards.

Apple Pay Faces a $2.8 Trillion Test of Shopper Habits

Apple Pay @12: Mobile Wallets Gain Ground, but Most Shoppers Still Tap a Card

Apple Pay has a spot on shoppers’ phones. Earning a place in their daily routines is proving harder. PYMNTS Intelligence surveyed 2,458 U.S. consumers to explore what’s keeping cards in hand and what could get shoppers to switch.

Inside the October Study

  • A $2.8 trillion opportunity awaits more frequent use. Apple Pay could serve that amount in U.S. in-store sales in 2026. Yet shoppers use it for only about one in 10 eligible purchases.
  • The first saved card has an advantage. Among wallet users, 54% keep just one payment method in their preferred wallet. Among those who switch cards, 40% decide before reaching the payment screen.
  • Financial pressures influence card selection. Among wallet users living paycheck to paycheck and struggling with bills, 31% choose a card based on its effect on their balance. That compares with 19% of those who don’t live paycheck to paycheck.

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