CurrentC backer Rite Aid will soon start accepting Apple Pay after initially

Almost a year after Rite Aid disabled access to Apple Pay, the drug store chain announced that it will accept the tech giant’s electronic payment system beginning Saturday. That’s because the drugstore chain was among the retailers committed to the Merchant Customer Exchange, which is testing its own mobile payment service, CurrentC. But times change, CurrentC exclusivity agreements expire, and now Rite Aid is back on board with Apple Pay.

Shortly after Apple Pay first launched last October, Rite Aid, along with CVS, were the most noteworthy hold outs on accepting the iPhone and Apple Watch-based payment system. “Investing in mobile technologies is just one piece of Rite Aid’s evolving digital strategy and we will continue to explore, test and implement innovative technologies that will help us to better serve our valued customers”.

MCX was trying to get retailers like Rite Aid, CVS, Best Buy, and Dunkin Doughnuts to only support CurrentC in an effort to slow Apple Pay’s growth. Other MCX members that remain without Apple Pay support include Walmart, Target and Lowe’s.

RiteAid appears to be giving in as well; not only will it accept Apple Pay in stores, but it has also announced support for Android Pay after Google launches it this year.

CurrentC deviates from Apple Pay in significant ways: It doesn’t use NFC, it doesn’t require fingerprint authentication to verify transactions, and the service stores your financial data encrypted in the cloud, rather than storing the details in a physical chip, the Secure Element, in your phone.