Apple has spelled out the requirements for using Apple Pay in the United Kingdom in an FAQ. Apple’s requirement that users enter their Touch ID or passcode for every purchase means using Apple Pay won’t require entering a separate PIN at the terminal, but at launch in July transactions will likely be limited to £20 or less at many retailers.
While Apple Pay allows transactions of any amount, payments to retailers with most existing contactless payment hardware will be capped at £20, just like all other contactless transactions conducted with a card. That limit is being increased to £30 in September, according to the UK Cards Association’s website.
To accept payments of higher amounts from Apple Pay, retailers will need to ensure their new payment terminals support the Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method (CDCVM) standard. CDCVM-capable hardware accepts Apple Pay customers’ Touch ID/passcode verification in lieu of a PIN to verify the user’s identity.