Apple Pay Finally Arrives in India: Apple Pay has officially made its debut in India, introducing Apple’s contactless payment solution to one of the world’s premier digital-payment markets. The initial launch phase is restricted to qualifying Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Axis Bank Is the First Partner: Axis Bank serves as the initial Indian banking partner for Apple Pay, offering eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards for the rollout. RuPay cards remain unsupported at the time of release.
iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad: Users can utilize Apple Pay on compatible iPhones, Apple Watches, and iPads for supported transactions, providing a fresh method for conducting contactless and online purchases.
Add Your Eligible Card: Customers can add their supported Axis Bank card directly through Apple Wallet, or use the Axis Bank application to seamlessly link cards to Apple Pay.
Tap and Pay: Contactless Payments enable consumers to pay at compatible terminals without needing to manually input card information, with every transaction verified via Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode.
RuPay Is Not Supported Yet: RuPay Cards are left out of the current Apple Pay launch, meaning individuals possessing exclusively RuPay cards cannot incorporate them into Apple Pay right away. Additional participating banks and card networks may be integrated down the line.
Millions of Merchants: Apple Pay Acceptance spans across a wide network of supported merchants and checkout terminals, with Apple noting that the platform functions at millions of merchant locations throughout India, alongside select businesses and applications.
What About HDFC and ICICI?: According to Reuters, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have engaged in discussions with Apple, though commercial contracts had not been secured by the time of the launch. Their potential inclusion later on could significantly broaden Apple Pay’s footprint in India.
Apple Pay vs UPI: Apple Pay and UPI fulfill distinct transactional roles, as Apple Pay focuses primarily on card-based purchases rather than displacing India’s existing UPI bank-transfer ecosystem, which maintains a deeply rooted presence across the nation’s digital payments landscape.
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