Apple Pay is accepted at 700,000 US locations, inc 50,000 Coca Cola vending machines

"Apple’s mobile payment system Apple Pay is now accepted in 700,000 U.S. locations, including 50,000 Coke vending machines, CEO Tim Cook announced at the company’s product event today in San Francisco. The system allows users to tap their iPhone or Apple Watch against the permanent terminal at select stores to pay without the need to use a credit or debit card or cash.
While the number Cook cited today is impressive, it really is just a reminder of how good Apple’s timing was in launching this system. You see, in order for a store to accept Apple Pay, its payment terminal has to include a technology called near field communication, or NFC. A bunch of retail chains already had the technology, allowing Apple to easily launch with hundreds of thousands of partners."

Source:  ReCode, 9th March 2015