On July 22, 2025, Apple Pay officially introduced T-Money support in South Korea, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to pay for public transportation more conveniently.
With this launch, users with an iPhone XS, XR, or later models running iOS 17.2 or higher, and Apple Watch Series 6, SE 2, or later with watchOS 10.2 or above can add a T-Money prepaid transit card to the Apple Wallet app. This enables contactless payment on buses, subways, and other public transit without a physical card, using NFC technology. Payments can be made by simply tapping the device on the reader—no need to unlock the phone.
T-Money top-ups are done via prepaid charging using Hyundai Card credit cards, and an auto-recharge feature is available to prevent running out of balance. However, postpaid payments, as well as “Gihu Donghaeng” and “K-Pass” cards, are currently not supported, leading some to call the service “partial” or “incomplete.”
This introduction marks a significant step as Apple Pay officially enters the South Korean public transit payment market. It is expected to be well received by users seeking a simpler, faster way to pay without carrying physical cards.
Image source: Official website
