Apple Pay: Apple Pay has now entered the digital payment landscape in India. After a long wait, iPhone users in the country can finally access Apple’s familiar “tap-to-pay” experience. By adding eligible credit cards to the Apple Wallet, users can make contactless payments at stores using their iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple Pay has launched in India with limited card support. Amidst the dominance of UPI, its success will hinge on rising credit card usage and expanded bank partnerships. Let’s take a closer look at the details—who can use it, and how it works.

How Apple Pay Works in India

Using Apple Pay is designed to be simple. Users can add their eligible credit cards to Apple Wallet and authenticate transactions using Face ID, Touch ID, or their device passcode.

Payments can then be made by tapping the iPhone or Apple Watch against a contactless payment terminal. Apple Pay can also streamline online payments.

Cards

It is worth noting that Apple Pay’s launch in India is currently quite limited. Initially, support is provided only for eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards from Axis Bank. Cards from other banks and RuPay cards do not currently support this service.

Why the Delay in Entering India?

The digital payment landscape in India has evolved rapidly over the past few years. UPI has revolutionised payments, making QR-based transactions commonplace—from small shopkeepers to large retailers. However, Apple’s payment architecture operates on its established model, which features NFC, card tokenisation, device-level security, and biometric authentication.

What’s the challenge?

Apple Pay’s real competition is likely not another digital wallet but UPI. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s Payment System Report (December 2025), UPI captured an 85.5% share of digital transaction volume.

Apps like PhonePe and Google Pay have become an integral part of daily life. For many users, UPI has become the default choice for everything from buying groceries and paying electricity bills to sending money to friends. Apple Pay’s initial offering in India does not include UPI integration; consequently, it does not function as an all-purpose payment platform like PhonePe or Google Pay.

Competition

NFC payment technology is not entirely new in India. Platforms like Samsung Wallet already facilitate NFC-based payments on compatible Galaxy devices.

Apple Pay’s key strength lies in its tight integration with iPhone and Apple Watch hardware and software. For existing users within the Apple ecosystem, the experience can feel quite natural.