Can you Apple Pay someone anonymously?

Can you really Apple Pay someone anonymously? I mean, I've wondered this myself, especially after that awkward situation with my sister-in-law last Christmas. Remember that whole "secret Santa" thing that went horribly wrong? Anyway...

The short answer is no, not really. You can't be totally anonymous. Apple Pay is clever, it hides your actual credit card number, which is good. But, they still keep some info on the transaction. Like, I read somewhere – maybe it was a blog post, I forget now – that they track things like the approximate amount you spent. It's not like they know exactly what you bought, or even who you bought it from, thankfully. That would be seriously creepy. But, still, complete anonymity? Nope. No way, José.

It's kind of like those loyalty cards, you know? You get points, it's handy, but they're tracking everything you buy. I mean, I’m not paranoid, honestly, but it makes you think, right? How much data is really "too much data"? I think I once spent like $50 at that little bakery near my house. I'm sure somewhere Apple knows approximately how much I spent on delicious croissants that day. Ugh, now I'm hungry. Anyway, the point is, you're leaving a digital footprint, even with Apple Pay. It's not a massive one, but it's there.