USDC issuer, Circle, is getting ready to introduce tap-and-go payments on iPhones, CEO Jeremy Allaire hinted in a recent post on X.
Tap to pay using USDC on iPhones incoming soon. Wallet devs, start your engines. https://t.co/D6lsj4saMS
— Jeremy Allaire – jda.eth / jdallaire.sol (@jerallaire) August 14, 2024
Allaire explained that this new feature would enable fast, low-cost blockchain networks for direct-to-merchant USDC payments especially for those involving point-of-sale systems.
“This would allow a [point of sale] to tell an iPhone what blockchain address it will accept USDC on, or the amount to pay, and then the iPhone-based wallet app could prompt the user to confirm a payment (like with FaceID) and initiate a transaction over the blockchain to settle the USDC,”
Allaire stated.
The new payment option is expected to use Apple’s Near Field Communication (NFC) chip and Secure Element (SE), which were previously limited to Apple Wallet and Apple Pay. Allaire referenced a recent Bloomberg’s report which claims that Apple is opening up its payment technologies to allow third parties to offer their services natively on the iPhone.
Notably, the report noted that this Apple’s move comes after years of pressure from European regulators. In its official statement, the tech giant stated that these components would be available for developers in select countries to use starting from iOS 18.1, an upcoming software update for the iPhone. The countries listed included Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Notably, countries in the European Union were absent on the list.
Allaire also noted that the expanded NFC access could extend beyond USDC to applications such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), other stablecoins like EURC, and various digital certificates.
This news reflects the growing trend of payment firms adopting cryptocurrencies. Recently, Stripe expanded its digital asset services to Europe, allowing customers to purchase Bitcoin and Ethereum with Stripe-issued cards. The company also launched a widget for online vendors, simplifying crypto transactions and ensuring KYC compliance.
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