The launch of Apple Pay in Chile has been rather troubled. Since 2021, there have been many hints that Apple was working with local banks to bring Apple Pay to Chile, but it never happened. However, a new report this week suggests that Apple Pay will finally launch in Chile sometime this month.
Apple Pay to launch in Chile next week
As reported by the local newspaper Diario Financeiro, Chilean bank Transbank shared a post on social media welcoming Apple Pay to the country. Although the post was later removed, journalist Pedro Martín independently corroborated with “at least four sources from financial institutions” that the official launch of Apple Pay in Chile is set for August 8.
If true, Apple Pay will arrive in the country almost two years after the first hints of Apple’s digital payments service coming to Chile.
Back in September 2021, Banco de Chile briefly let some users add their cards to the Wallet app, but all cards were removed a few days later. In January 2022, Apple updated its Chilean website with a new landing page for Apple Pay – but the platform remains unavailable in the country despite that fact.
Last year, Santander Chile president Claudio Melandri claimed via a LinkedIn post that the launch of Apple Pay there was “expected by the end of October.” Of course, that never happened. According to Diario Financeiro, the delay is due to local banks taking longer to meet the “high operational and security standards required by Apple.”
The report also mentions that Santander, Banco de Chile, Bci, BICE, Banco Falabella, Itaú, and Scotiabank will be the first to support Apple Pay in Chile. Although the report also mentions that the launch is scheduled for August 8, some of the banks are concerned that Apple’s demands may delay the launch once again.
More about Apple Pay
Brazil was the first country in Latin America to receive Apple Pay in 2018. The platform was launched in Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica in 2021. Last year, Apple expanded its digital payments service to Peru and Argentina, with Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador added this year.
With Apple Pay, iPhone and Apple Watch users can pay in stores using their devices by holding them near the credit and debit card reader. Apple Pay also works online for apps and websites. In this case, the feature is also available for iPad and Mac users. Apple Pay is now available in more than 80 countries around the world.
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