How Apple Pay and Google Pay work: tokens, taps and card security
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
Apple Pay and Google Pay let you pay with your phone or watch instead of a plastic card. They work anywhere contactless cards are accepted, and in many apps and websites, using a secure token in place of your real card number.
What happens when you add a card
- You add your card to the wallet app on your phone.
- The card issuer checks it is really you, often with a code.
- The card network creates a device token, a stand-in number for that phone only.
- The token is stored on the phone; your real card number is not shared with shops.
What happens when you tap
You unlock the payment with your face, fingerprint or passcode, then hold the phone near the card reader. The phone sends the token and a one-time code. The card network swaps the token back for your real card, and the issuer approves or declines the payment as normal.
Why it is safer
Shops never see your real card number, and each payment carries a one-time code, so a copied payment cannot be reused. If you lose your phone, you can remove the cards from it without cancelling the card itself.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay platforms issue branded Visa cards. A virtual card is created instantly and works online and in Apple Pay and Google Pay, and physical cards are posted for in-person and ATM use.
Build it
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Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
Build my platform →Questions people ask
Can I issue my own branded cards?
Yes, virtual and physical Visa cards on your own platform.
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This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.