The mobile payment wars are heating up.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, said it’s launching its own mobile payment system that will allow shoppers to pay with any major credit or debit card or its own store gift card through its existing smartphone app at the cash register.
It started testing the new payment feature Thursday at its stores in the Bentonville, Arkansas, area, where the retailer is based. It plans to launch the payment system called Walmart Pay in all 4,500-plus U.S. stores in early next year.
The launch is the latest salvo in the battle for mobile payments that's in the early stages.