The news: 31.2% of consumers have used a mobile wallet in-store as of September—nearly triple the rate three years earlier, per PYMNTS Intelligence report.

Why this matters: Apple Pay has remained the dominant mobile wallet in the US as the payment method surges: Estimated Apple Pay volume climbed to $450 billion in sales over the course of the last year, accounting for 6% of total in-store purchases, per PYMNTS Intelligence research. 

However, Apple Pay’s rivals are snapping at its heels. While Apple’s share of users nearly doubled from 2023 to 2025, PayPal, Cash App, and Google Pay all grew their share even faster. 

• 15.9% of consumers said they’d used Apple Pay, up 85%.
• 12.8% said they’d used PayPal, up 133%.
• 10% said they’d used Cash App, up from 0%.
• And 8.9% said they’d used Google Pay, up 324%. 

What’s next: PayPal, Cash App, and Google Pay are all trying to capture more volume in-store and online through promotions; buy now, pay later (BNPL) financing; embedded offers at POS; rewards; and integrated ecosystem plays. 

While Apple Pay has the advantage of its own ecosystem tailwinds—approximately 60% of consumers use iPhones and 85% of merchants accept Apple Pay, per PYMNTS Intelligence—this advantage is due to further erode as antitrust lawsuits forced Apple to open its walled garden around NFC tech to competitors.

Our take: Apple Pay’s dominance is likely to stick for now, but its lead will narrow as PayPal, Cash App, and Google Pay strategies draw in more users.

As wallet competition ramps up, features that help users manage more of their financial—and even non-financial—lives will help providers create stickier wallets that attract more volume. That includes subscription management services, order tracking, and interactive airline and event tickets.