Apple Pay picks up 18 more US banks ahead of Sept. 9 press event

By Roger Fingas

Apple on Wednesday added 18 more U.S. banks to the roster of Apple Pay card issuers, in what could be the last such update before bigger plans are announced on Sept. 9.

The new entries are evenly split between traditional banks and credit unions. This follows the trend of recent updates, including the last one in mid-August, when Apple also added just 18 new partners.

A variety of Apple Pay announcements could be made during the Sept. 9 press event. Already confirmed are iOS 9-related changes, such as the Passbook app being renamed Wallet, and support for loyalty and reward cards as well as Discover.

Apple may also announce more U.K. banks however, along with new merchant partners. It could also reveal plans to bring the service to more countries, as rumors have pegged a Canadian launch for November.

The complete list of new U.S. issuers includes: