Apple added 46 U.S. banks, credit unions, as well as financial institutions on Tuesday, Sept.15, into its list of its backers for its Apple Pay, a mobile payment solution. This means Apple Pay now boasts over 500 participating issuers in the U.S., essential in the company's plan to roll out more improvements to its NFC-based mobile payment service.

A few notable additions in the Apple's list include E-Trade Bank, Citizen Bank, MIT Federal Credit Union, McGraw-Hill Federal Credit Union, as well as Johns Hopkins Federal Credit Union. Some of the latest additions though in the list, according to a report, may have already had support for the contactless payment service.

To date, Apple Pay is only limited to the U.S. and the U.K. However, Apple is reportedly planning to launch an international rollout of Apple Pay. It has been rumored that the service will soon be available in China and Canada as well.

In fact, we already reported that the Apple CEO, Tim Cook, confirmed the company will soon launch Apple Pay in China. He said, launching the service in China would be a better idea.

"We very much want to get Apple Pay in China," Cook stated in an interview. "I'm very bullish on Apple Pay in China."

During Cook's visit in the country, it was reported that he met with several executives as part of Apple's preparation to launch the mobile platform.

Meanwhile, in a press event last Sept. 9, Discover unveiled that its credit cards are all set for Apple Pay on Sept. 16, the same day iOS 9 will be unwrapped.

Apple Pay is compatible with these devices: iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus (to make payment in apps and in stores); Apple Watch paired with iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, or iPhone 5s (to make payment only in stores); and iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3 (to make payment only in apps).

"Apple Pay lets you use iPhone or Apple Watch to pay in over a million stores accepting contactless payments. You can also make purchases within participating apps. And more stores and apps are accepting Apple Pay every day," reads the product description of Apple Pay.