So, here you go....as of August 2022:
90% of U.S. retailers take Apple Pay
20% of U.S. retail payments are NFC.
That indicates that almost all retailers are willing, but the vast majority of customers simply DON'T CARE.
If Walmart ever needed a reason to not bother upgrading to NFC terminals and accepting Apple Pay, there it is. Customers don't "demand" it and the incentive to offer it is lacking.
www.nfcw.com
Now, if Walmart, Lowe's and Home Depot accepted Apple Pay, would that percentage of NFC payments go way up? Possibly. But they don't, and they have no incentive to make a move here.
Should govt REQUIRE them to? HELL no.
90% of U.S. retailers take Apple Pay
20% of U.S. retail payments are NFC.
That indicates that almost all retailers are willing, but the vast majority of customers simply DON'T CARE.
If Walmart ever needed a reason to not bother upgrading to NFC terminals and accepting Apple Pay, there it is. Customers don't "demand" it and the incentive to offer it is lacking.

Three quarters of iPhone users in the US have now enabled Apple Pay
research by Loup Ventures has revealed that three quarters of iPhone users in the US have now enabled Apple Pay

Now, if Walmart, Lowe's and Home Depot accepted Apple Pay, would that percentage of NFC payments go way up? Possibly. But they don't, and they have no incentive to make a move here.
Should govt REQUIRE them to? HELL no.