Apple Pay Amasses 1 Million Activations Within First 72 Hours

For those who might not recall, Apple Pay has recently been a topic of much global discussion. Yesterday, Apple amazed skeptics during a report at the Wall Street Journal Technology Conference, revealing the staggering number of activations that this innovative contactless payment system experienced within a mere 72 hours of its launch.

Apple Pay, compatible with the iPhone 6, achieved one million activations in its inaugural three days. These figures most definitely suggest a zealous reception by Apple users worldwide, eager to have a hands-on experience with the groundbreaking technology.

Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, unveiled this information during the conference, stating that he is already an avid user of the system himself. Furthering the reach of this technology, it seems that the Chinese E-commerce behemoth Alibaba, which has only just recently filed for an IPO in the US, is eager to partner with Apple on several future projects.

Launched on the 20th of October, Apple Pay provides iPhone 6 users with an opportunity to make swift payments at retailer outlets that are equipped with wireless NFC (near-field-communication) readers – a technology that allows for the exchange of data in close proximity.

While we currently lack data verifying the number of retailers in Africa, particularly Nigeria, that have these specialized NFC readers, we can confirm that in the US there are already over 200,000 outlets that have adapted this future-focused technology.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.