Users can now donate to their favorite charities in the U.K. with Apple Pay

By Lulu Chang Updated March 8, 2017

Apple pay atm — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple Pay has supported consumerism for the last couple years, and it also supports a different kind of spending — that of the charitable nature. Last November, with the holiday season, #GivingTuesday, and goodwill all right around the corner, Apple announced that its mobile payments platform would begin to support instant donations to nonprofits in the United States. But now, Apple has enabled Apple Pay donations for 22 of the largest charities in the United Kingdom in a move British nonprofits say could be a game-changer.

“Apple Pay is making it easier and more secure to donate to your favorite nonprofit organizations with just a touch,” Apple said last year. “Apple Pay support for charitable donations kicks off today with nonprofits ranging from global organizations such as UNICEF to startups … more nonprofits will offer Apple Pay over the coming months so their supporters can make easy, secure, and private payments.”

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This could be huge news for nonprofits, as recent figures suggest that just 10 percent of donations to charities currently come from mobile. But as Apple Pay makes giving easier, it may become a more frequent activity for the generous souls of the world.

“We’re making it incredibly easy to give back with Apple Pay,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay. “Websites and apps tell us they see twice as many people actually completing a purchase with Apple Pay than with other payment methods. We think offering such a simple and secure way to support the incredible work nonprofits do will have a significant impact on the communities they serve.”

This is a considerable change from Apple’s previous policy, which forced charities to take donations outside the Apple Pay app. But now they can embed “donate” buttons directly into their own apps and process gifts through the mobile platform.

The new participating U.K. charities include ActionAid U.K., Alzheimer’s Society, Barnardo’s, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research U.K., Comic Relief, Concern Worldwide (U.K.), DEC, Marie Curie, Oxfam, (RED), The Royal British Legion, RNIB, RNLI, RSPB, RSPCA, Scope, Sightsavers, Unicef UK, VSO, WaterAid, and WWF-U.K.

Article originally published in November 2016. Updated on 3-8-2017: Added news that 22 U.K. charities have been added to the list of nonprofits capable of receiving donations through Apple Pay.

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