Google Wallet Tests Per-Payment Identity Verification
A code change in Google Wallet version 26.43.1009867093 would let users require identity checks before every contactless payment.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Credit Cards
Live Poll
Would you want to confirm your identity before every contactless payment, even small ones?
Google Wallet is testing a setting that lets users verify their identity before each contactless payment, rather than only within a short window after a prior verification. The report is based on work-in-progress code that may not reach a public release, and Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why it matters
The feature would add a stronger per-payment check on top of current behavior, where recent verification allows multiple contactless payments. It comes as in-store digital wallet use has grown, reaching 21% of transactions in 2025 from 11% in 2022.
The figures show in-store digital wallet use doubling from 11% of transactions in 2022 to 21% in 2025, based on reported transaction data. It is not yet known whether the identity-verification setting will be released publicly or when.
The players
Google Wallet
Google's digital wallet app that stores payment cards and enables contactless payments on Android devices.
Walmart
A large American retailer that is rolling out tap to pay using Google Pay across its U.S. locations.
Sam's Club
Walmart's membership warehouse club chain, which is also adding tap to pay using Google Pay.
The details
The new option appears in Google Wallet version 26.43.1009867093 and lets users choose to verify identity immediately before each payment. Under the current behavior, users who verified within the last few minutes can make multiple contactless payments without verifying again.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Report on the Google Wallet identity verification setting published
Market Dynamics
The story extends Google Pay's contactless rollout at Walmart and Sam's Club, announced in August 2026, which Walmart plans to expand to all U.S. locations by the end of 2026. The added verification step follows the growth of in-store digital wallets from 11% of transactions in 2022 to 21% in 2025.
If the setting ships, shoppers who pay with Google Wallet could be asked to verify identity before every contactless payment rather than only after a recent verification. Users who want fewer prompts would continue to rely on the current short-window behavior.
The takeaway
Google Wallet users may soon be able to choose stricter verification for each tap, which trades some convenience for added security. Reviewing the wallet's verification settings once the feature appears can help set the balance that fits your spending habits.
What happens next
Walmart plans to enable tap to pay at all U.S. locations by the end of 2026 and at fuel stations by mid-2027.
Further reading
For broader context on how these payment tools fit into everyday spending, see Credit Cards.
Source note: This article includes information reported by PYMNTS.
Live Poll
Would you want to confirm your identity before every contactless payment, even small ones?
