Apple Pay global user number 2016-2020

How many people use Apple Pay? Global iPhone users that activated Apple Pay grew by more than 65 million people in 2020. This according to an estimate that also assumes active iPhones grew by nine percent during 2020, alongside a worldwide increase of contactless payments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Note that the figures are an estimate, as precise figures are unavailable. Apple itself does not communicate user figures, and banks that provide the Apple Pay service are contractually forbidden to share user information. Hence why Apple Pay market shares in, for example, Europe tend to be based on consumer survey results.

Which country uses Apple Pay the most?

As there is little to no information on a country level regarding Apple Pay use, one could potentially answer this by looking at proximity mobile payments – contactless in-store payments from consumer to merchant, either with a card or a smartphone – at large. It is estimated that China was the global leader in proximity mobile payments in 2019, with a penetration rate that was twice as high as that of runner-up Denmark. It is unlikely, though, that Apple Pay plays a big role in China given the popularity of apps like Alipay and Tenpay.

Apple Pay seemingly less used than some of its competitors

If China is unlikely to have many Apple Pay users, how is this for Denmark – the country with the second-highest penetration rate in proximity mobile payments? In 2019, Apple Pay was also not one of the most popular payments apps in Denmark: Nine percent of Danish respondents said they used the Cupertino payment solution at some point as opposed to 85 percent of domestic solution MobilePay. This also holds true for one of the world’s largest payment markets. According to a January 2021 survey, PayPal use among U.S. consumers exceeded other payment options: Five times more respondents stated they at some point used PayPal rather than Apple Pay.