Apple Pay has officially debuted in India, enabling eligible Axis Bank credit cardholders to make contactless payments using their Apple devices. The rollout began on September 30, 2026, and supports Visa and Mastercard credit cards across the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Apple introduced the payment method for in-store, in-app, and web transactions, eliminating the need for PINs or OTPs. Customers with eligible accounts can add their supported cards either through the Axis Bank mobile app or directly via the Apple Wallet.
At present, the initial release is restricted to eligible Axis Bank credit cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks. Debit cards, RuPay, American Express, and cards issued by other financial institutions are not included in the initial launch.
Users can utilize Apple Pay at participating NFC-enabled terminals, select applications, and compatible e-commerce websites. According to Apple, support for Mac computers will roll out shortly, broadening availability across the entire device ecosystem.
Apple Pay arrives with an extensive merchant footprint despite the restricted banking partnerships at launch. The service is accepted at Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Croma, Zomato, Tata 1mg, Ixigo, and various Reliance retail brands.
Additional merchant support is provided through payment gateways including Razorpay, Paytm, Pine Labs, PayU, and Worldline. However, terminal activation dictates whether a specific checkout will accept Apple Pay, even if standard contactless cards function at that terminal.
Security is a central component of Apple’s payment architecture in India. The company never stores actual credit card numbers on user devices or its servers during payment processing. Instead, a distinct Device Account Number is generated and encrypted within the hardware-based Secure Element.
Merchants are provided with tokenized payment data instead of sensitive card details when transactions take place. Jennifer Bailey described Apple Pay as a simple, safe, and private method for executing daily card transactions.
A notable aspect of Apple’s India debut is the restricted initial issuer support. Major institutions such as HDFC Bank, SBI Card, and ICICI Bank collectively represent approximately 64% of all credit card expenditure in the country.
Conversely, Axis Bank accounts for roughly 11% of national credit card spending, according to data from August 2026. Meanwhile, both HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank are engaged in ongoing discussions with Apple regarding future integration.
Apple Pay is entering a financial landscape heavily dominated by UPI for everyday digital payments. In August alone, UPI handled 24.51 billion transactions totaling about Rs 29.82 lakh crore, while credit cards accounted for approximately Rs 2.02 lakh crore in total spending over the same timeframe.
Also Read: Apple Pay India Could Launch in October 2026: What to Expect
