> Here (NL) contactless payments works with every debit card, physical or stored Apple Google/Pay, in every store
That's how it works in the US as well. You might be conflating Apple Pay with Apple Wallet, which stores your credit cards for tap-to-pay. Most people in the US use Apple Wallet/Google Wallet to digitally store their credit/debit cards, and use those cards to pay at the store by tapping the POS terminal.
For example, I use Apple Wallet for nearly every transaction, but I never use Apple Pay/Apple Card as the payment method.
Can you point me to any documentation on how to use a credit card in Apple Wallet without using Apple Pay? To my knowledge that is not possible. You might be using Apple Pay without realizing.
https://www.wikihow.com/Add-Cards-to-Apple-Wallet
> Once added, your card can be used to pay for things anywhere Apple Pay is accepted
The method described in that guide is basically how you setup Apple Pay.
Apple Wallet is simply where the card is located on your phone. Once you use it to pay, you will use Apple Pay.