JUST got in one of the new mbp "touchbar" models and was setting it up, and it asked me to set up apple pay. ok. but wait, it wants me to put my credit card up against the screen, it has a little rectangle for "place credit card here".... so.... is there a barcode reader or a scanner built into this display or what??? I could see them asking me to hold it up to the camera, but no, they want me to hold it against the screen.

…and the result is❓Were you successful in setting up Apple Pay by holding your credit card

• up to the screen❓
• in front of the screen where it can be seen by the FaceTime camera❓
• against the screen where it could be scanned❓
• you were unable get it to work❓

Curious readers, or at least one curious reader, want to know❗️

I didn't actually try it, I have no reason to set up Apple Pay on a work computer. But it was extremely interesting that it looked like it wanted to scan the card via the display panel.

I assumed it was a sierra thing... but maybe requires some "special hardware" in the new computer.....

It is a Sierra thing, but not on every Mac.
That answers your "special hardware" speculation. The Wallet and Apple Pay preference pane only appears when a Touch Bar is present.

I drilled down a little further in Apple Help and found…
Which satisfied my curiosity. You hold the card up in front of the screen so it may be seen by the FaceTime camera.

THAT would be it! That explains why the frame looked a little too small on my screen also.

I hope I'm not the only one trying to place their credit card ON the screen...

Experience with Wallet on iOS devices indicates the frame on the screen will, within limits, adjust to the dimensions of the card presented.