Google said it would roll out Android Pay in the United States on Thursday, allowing users to pay by just tapping the phone. Android Pay will work with all near-field communication technology-enabled Android devices using Google's KitKat 4.4+ operating system.

Android Pay also stores your gift cards, loyalty cards and special offers right on your phone. The service will start rolling out gradually over the next few days, and Google promised that it would add even more features, banks and store locations in the coming months.

Android Pay will support credit and debit cards from the four major payment networks: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. These cards are issued by many of the most popular US banks and credit unions, including American Express, Bank of America, Discover, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC, Regions Bank, USAA, and U.S. Bank. Citi and Wells Fargo will be available in the next few days and Capital One is coming soon.

Android Pay is supported by industry standard tokenization. This means your real credit or debit card number isn't sent with your payment. Instead, Google will use a virtual account number that provides an extra layer of security. As soon as you make a purchase, you’ll see a payment confirmation that shows where a given transaction happened, so it’s easy to catch any suspicious activity. And if your phone is ever lost or stolen, simply use Android Device Manager to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password, or even wipe it clean of your personal information.

Later this year, Google will also be able to use Android Pay to speed through mobile checkout in your favorite apps. And with select merchants, you'll soon be able to transmit your loyalty cards and special offers with just a tap.

If you’re an existing Google Wallet user, you’ll be able to access Android Pay through an update to your Wallet app. For new users, Android Pay will be available for download on Google Play in the next few days, and will come preinstalled on new NFC-enabled Android phones from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless.

The mobile-payments market is projected to top $142 billion by 2019, up from $67 billion this year, according to Forrester Research Inc. Android Pay will be competing with Apple, PayPal Holdings Inc. and other rivals that have introduced digital wallets.

Google is betting Android Pay will help its smartphones lure more consumers.