Apple Pay Set to Launch in India With Axis Bank Partnership

Apple is set to launch Apple Pay in India with Axis Bank as its first banking partner, bringing the company’s payment service to a market where UPI dominates digital transactions.

Apple Pay’s India rollout will initially support eligible Axis Bank credit cards on Visa and Mastercard networks. The service will not support RuPay cards at launch, and acceptance will depend on enabled merchants and payment terminals.

Apple Pay Enters a UPI-Dominated Market

Unlike UPI, which allows direct bank-to-bank payments through mobile devices, Apple Pay relies on card networks. It requires individual banks and payment infrastructure providers to integrate with the service.

This makes expansion more complex in India, where QR-based UPI payments have become the dominant digital payment method. India’s digital payments ecosystem has grown significantly through UPI adoption across consumers and businesses.

Apple is also reportedly seeking transaction fees as part of its commercial model, which has complicated discussions with some major Indian banks. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and SBI Card are not expected to support Apple Pay at launch while negotiations continue.

Opportunity Among India’s iPhone Users

Although Apple Pay may initially serve a smaller card-based payments segment, the service could appeal to India’s growing base of iPhone users, particularly customers using premium credit cards.

Eligible Axis Bank customers will be able to add supported cards to Apple Wallet and use Apple Pay for online purchases and contactless payments at compatible terminals.

Acceptance may vary during the early rollout because payment terminals need individual support from participating payment providers.

Apple Expands Its India Presence

The launch comes as Apple continues expanding its business presence in India through smartphone sales, manufacturing, and retail operations.

Apple has increased its share of India’s smartphone market by value as demand for premium devices grows.

India has also become an important manufacturing base for Apple’s global iPhone production strategy.

With Apple Pay, the company is adding another service layer to its expanding ecosystem in one of the world’s largest digital markets.