I apologize for my ignorance, but I still don't understand why Pay and Wallet were separate in the first place. More on reddit.com

So... If I am understanding this correctly. 2011 – Google Wallet introduced 2015 – Android Pay introduced 2018 – Google Wallet and Android Pay merge into Google Pay 2022 – Google Pay becomes Google Wallet, Google Pay reintroduced for p2p transfers 2024 – Google Pay(2022) app discontinued* (Yet, Google will still keep the Google Pay branding for in-store and online purchases) More on reddit.com

Unfortunately no comprehensive list exists. Someone could try to maintain a wiki page or other repository. The issue is that what Google presents as a unified Google Pay service isn't, at least not in its sections. (Google's confusing history of payment services is so bad and convoluted there's a chart on Wikipedia to make it easier to understand .) At its core, Google Pay is really two things: A PayPal like digital wallet that was introduced to the internet as Google Checkout in 2006. This does not use EMV cryptograms (the standards for chip cards). This uses the stored payment account number stored on Google Pay servers along with the expiration date. These are PAN transactions. A mobile wallet that uses EMV (payment chip card) standards, introduced as Google Wallet in 2011 with Citi as the partner, rebranded to Android Pay in 2015 when they changed their technology approach to prevent the US carriers from being dicks (the US carriers wanted to be the gatekeepers and be paid for a mobile wallet; they tried to launch the unfortunately named ISIS mobie wallet, which they renamed to Softcard, and then threw in the towel. Google was able to bypass carriers refusing to buy phones that had secure elements by using host card emulation [HCE] to be able to perform EMV Cryptograms. This is known as CRYPTOGRAM_3DS transactions, because it uses an EMV cryptogram to complete the transaction along with a DPAN (device personal account number, a virtual account number your issuer like US Bank generates that's associated with your specific device and mobile wallet it's entered into). Now that you've gotten your mini history lesson, let's discuss the types of transactions you can have in Google Wallet. You can go to a store, unlock your phone's mobile wallet, and hold your phone up to the contactless reader of the payment terminal. These always get 3x points on the USB AR, because they always use an EMV cryptogram. You can go on your non-Android device (like your PC/Mac or your iPhone) on a website, see Google Pay button, and select your card. These will code as 1x points on the USB AR because non-Android devices do not have the DPAN or HCE. You can make an app in a purchase or website on an Android device by hitting the Google Pay button. This is the mystery you've encountered. An app developer can code their app to use only the PAN, which is 1x points. Or they can code it to use the EMV cryptogram instead (which is supported on networks other than JCB/Discover), in which case the DPAN is used along with the EMV cryptogram and it'll code as 3x points. Unfortunately, this is all behind the scenes under the hood stuff in the site/app you're using, and because Google presents Google Pay as a unified experience and for the overwhelming majority of credit cards use of a PAN vs DPAN doesn't affect rewards... the app doesn't tell you. You just have to try. Of course, if they overhaul or update their app/website it's possible they're preferring one method of Google Pay at one point and out of the blue switch to the other. The same "problem" of knowing if you'll get 3x points in Apple Pay does not exist because there is no #1 (PAN) in Apple Pay. Only DPANs with EMV cryptograms from the Secure Elements in iPhones/Apple Watches/Macs/iPad models that have them (if your device supports Apple Wallet, it has an SE). Since the DPAN and an EMV cryptogram are always used with Apple Pay, you never have to guess. tl;dr there is no comprehensive list compiled by anyone I'm aware of; whether or not Google Pay transactions in apps/sites on Android phones codes as 1x or 3x points depends on how the app developer invokes Apple Pay under the hood and isn't obvious More on reddit.com

I assume Google uses your transaction history to personalize your ad experience but I don't have proof. It does not, because the transaction history for in-store purchases is only stored on the device. My phone recently died and when I open the history on my new phone, it only contains payments I made to Google and payments to friends, no in-store NFC transactions. Some credit cards have a stripe, chip, and Tap & Pay now. I guess I don't want to rely on a wallet that needs a battery to use. The phone is more secure, because NFC works only when unlocked. A tap card can be swiped without you knowing. More on reddit.com