Walmart is expanding its payment options by introducing tap-to-pay across its U.S. stores, including Sam’s Club locations. By the end of 2026, customers will be able to use Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, contactless cards, and wearables at checkout.
This shift marks a change in Walmart's strategy, moving away from forcing shoppers to use its proprietary Walmart Pay system. The company now focuses on maintaining customer relationships through its broader ecosystem, including Walmart+ and digital services, rather than controlling the payment interface.
Amazon is focusing its resources on AI infrastructure to influence the shopping journey before the checkout stage. The company recently signed a long-term agreement with Qualcomm to purchase up to $60 billion in AI data center chips and related products.
As part of the Qualcomm deal, Amazon received warrants valued at approximately $4 billion. Additionally, Amazon raised £4.25 billion, or roughly $5.76 billion, through its first sterling bond sale to support its infrastructure requirements.
Retail competition is shifting from managing transactions to controlling the intelligence layer. While payments and cloud infrastructure are increasingly outsourced, retailers are prioritizing control over customer identity, purchase history, and data-driven decision-making systems.
