ExxonMobil Expands Mobile Acceptance to Include Apple Pay

ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company, now accepts Apple Pay at a majority of its U.S. gas stations.

Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously announced that ExxonMobil would begin accepting Apple Pay at its gas stations using its Speedpass app. ExxonMobil will expand availability of Speedpass to more than 8,000 of its locations by mid-year. It did not disclose the specific number of its gas stations that now accept Apple Pay.

ExxonMobil, which is based in Irving, Texas, isn't the first gasoline brand to let users pay at the pump with a phone. Visa and Chevron last year partnered to let consumers use the Near Field Communication-based payments technology at gas pumps. The deal allows consumers to use Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay wallets when refueling.

ExxonMobil has been testing the usage of smartphone payment apps at its gas pumps since 2013. In the process, ExxonMobil had to ease consumer concerns that the electricity from a smartphone can cause a fire as a gas pump.