Apple Pay via Touch ID, Face ID, PIN or passcode. The service lets Apple devices wirelessly communicate with point of sale systems by using a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a "dedicated chip that stores encrypted payment information" (known as the Secure Element), and Apple's Touch ID and Wallet. It is available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Brazil, UAE, Russia, China, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, as well as various other European nations. Apple Pay supports most major credit cards or debit cards, including American Express, Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay etc. Supporting banks vary. The service
Apple Wallet started to appear in retail locations in the US. The iBeacon solutions allowed the retailer to broadcast an unsolicited lock-screen notice onto smartphones within Wi-Fi range, which is about one thousand feet. In 2015, Apple incorporated the ability to present a loyalty card in Wallet to a point-of-sale terminal via NFC. Walgreens enabled this first with their Balance Rewards loyalty program; customers can add their card to Wallet through the Walgreens or Duane Reade mobile apps and tap their phone to the terminal when prompted for their rewards card. Passes can be distributed via email, SMS, MMS, social media, an