The United States government distributes benefits to individuals and families who are eligible for various assistance programs. In this sense, EBT cards (Electronic Benefit Transfer) are used as a means of payment for these people.
This is how benefits from programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are distributed. There is also the Women, Babies and Children (WIC) program.
This is physically a plastic debit card, similar to those issued by the government to beneficiaries who are eligible for benefits.
The SNAP program, in turn, is the largest to use these cards. In addition, it provides food aid to millions of eligible Americans.
It is important to remember that EBT cards work in a similar way to a debit card. Therefore, recipients are given a personal identification number (PIN) to use when making purchases.
With that in mind, grocery stores, supermarkets and retailers that accept EBT payments are the places where this card can be used.
What many may not know is that the EBT card can be added to Apple Pay. However, not all state and federal assistance programs that offer EBT benefits currently support the use of Apple Pay.
You can add your card to the Wallet app on an iPhone or other compatible device if it’s eligible for Apple Pay.
So how would you do it?
First, open the Wallet application and tap on the “Add Card” button. You can then follow the instructions to add the EBT card and complete the setup process.
Once your EBT card is added to Apple Pay, you can use it to make purchases at stores that accept the service. This means you can hold the compatible mobile phone close to the payment terminal and authorize it using Touch ID or Face ID.