Apple Pay Launches in India with Axis Bank

Apple Pay Launches in India through Axis Bank Partnership

Payment and Card

Apple Pay has launched in India through Axis Bank, allowing eligible Visa and Mastercard credit card users to make contactless payments through Apple devices.

Apple Pay has launched in India through a partnership with Axis Bank
Eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards are supported initially
RuPay cards are not currently eligible for Apple Pay
Customers can use Apple Pay through supported Apple devices
Apple has discussed possible partnerships with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank

Apple Pay service has come to India through its collaboration with Axis Bank, making Apple Pay available in one of the largest markets for digital payments. Customers in India can now use their credit cards to make payments through their Apple devices.

As per Reuters, Axis Bank is the first Indian bank to provide Apple Pay services. The Apple Pay service is currently available to customers with credit cards issued by Visa and Mastercard, but not RuPay.

Apple Pay Arrives in India with Axis Bank

Customers will be able to add their Axis Bank cards through the bank’s mobile app or Apple Wallet. Using Apple Pay on their phone, watch or tablet, customers can pay in stores and apps.

Using Apple Pay, customers will be able to make contactless payments without having to enter their card PIN or one-time password. The payments are authorised through facial recognition, fingerprint or a device passcode.

Could Apple Pay's India launch change how some iPhone users make everyday payments?

Axis Bank Becomes First Indian Partner

Axis Bank had issued 16.3 million credit cards as of August, while there were 124 million credit cards in India, according to central bank figures cited by Reuters.

Apple has also been in talks with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank to expand the reach of the service, although no commercial deal has been reached yet.

This move will help Apple tap into India's vast digital payments market, where the Unified Payments Interface is widely used. A 2025 report by the IMF stated that UPI accounted for 84% of digital payment volumes and was the largest retail fast-payment system in the world.

Apple Pay Expands Its India Presence

The Apple Pay India service launches at a time when Indian consumers continue to use digital payment apps for regular purchases. In the initial phase, the service launched with Axis Bank in India is focused more on card payments than UPI-based payments.

The offering provides another payment option for eligible Axis Bank customers. The launch could also give Apple a stronger presence in India's growing digital payments market.

Why This Matters

The entry of Apple Pay gives users of iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad devices in India another option to pay through their cards. In addition, the initial collaboration with Axis Bank gives Apple a foothold in a market dominated by UPI payments.

Business Honor observes that the launch could strengthen Apple's payments presence in India while giving Axis Bank customers an additional contactless payment option.