Why is my apple cash not in settings

hello! i follow apples direct instructions & made sure my device was eligible (iphone 11, fully updated) but apple cash is not an option for me to turn on or use in ‘wallet & apple pay’. is there a reason why my phone doesn’t have this option?

You go to Settings>Wallet & Apple Pay, not Apple Cash. Follow the instructions in the Related Article in your post. Make sure you meet the requirements under What You Need.

It could have to do with your location. See the information in this support document and see if your location supports Apple Pay. iOS and iPadOS - Feature Availability - Apple