Why is Apple Pay not working with Stripe in the UAE?

Payments + Shipping & Fulfilment

Topic summary

Merchants in the UAE using Shopify with Stripe have been unable to process Apple Pay transactions due to address validation errors, specifically related to the “Emirate” or “Area” field requirement. The issue has persisted since at least 2021 despite thousands of views and numerous complaints.

Root Cause & Blame:

  • Shopify, Stripe, and Apple have each pointed fingers at the others
  • The core problem appears to be a conflict between Shopify’s address format requirements and Apple Pay’s address handling in the UAE region
  • Apple Pay only works when users enter a recognized Emirate name (Dubai, Sharjah, etc.) rather than specific neighborhood areas

Attempted Workarounds:

  • Switching payment providers (Paymob, ADCB gateway, WIO bank)
  • Using apps to rename payment methods to display “Apple Pay”
  • Domain verification in Stripe dashboard (blocked by Shopify’s platform restrictions)
  • Most alternative solutions either redirect users off-page or don’t support true express checkout

Current Status:

  • One user reported receiving an email from Stripe indicating the Apple Pay and Google Pay issues are now fixed
  • Shopify support previously stated no timeline for resolution and the feature wasn’t prioritized in their roadmap
  • Multiple merchants report competitors on other platforms have working Apple Pay integration in the UAE
Summarized with AI on October 27. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
57

I agree, Directing to an outside page is not real apple pay.

Unfortunately Shopify does not give the ME enough attention, Arabic language for example is not supported..We have to use translation apps. I think the problem with Apple Pay is part of Shopify neglecting ME, They have not extended Shopify payment to the region even though the financial system and regulations here are well developed and tied to the US central bank and the dollar. Even if they roll Shopify payment in the region it will be useful for a small percentage of merchants as it has many restrictions. The only solution in my opinion is for Shopify to integrate fully with local payment gateways allowing for real Apple pay functionality, Unfortunately there are no indications of that happening soon. Too bad as Shopify is a great platform. I had to switch my stores from Shopify to ZID which is only better in payment options but lags waaay behind Shopify in everything else.

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