Apple Pay Is Coming To India: 10 Things iPhone Users Should Know

Apple is poised to launch Apple Pay in India next month with Axis Bank's credit cards. The service will initially be offered through a single banking partner, according to a Reuters report. So far, Apple has not confirmed the launch, and the timeline and partner rest on anonymous sources. Here is what iPhone users should know:-1. What Is Apple Pay, And How Will It Work?Apple Pay lets iPhone users make tap-and-pay purchases using tokenised card details stored on their device, without opening a separate payments app. Instead of your actual card number, a unique token is stored, so the merchant never sees your real card details. In practise, you add an eligible card to the Wallet app. At a contactless terminal, you authenticate and hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader. Users would confirm the transaction through Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode. The service is also expected to work for one-tap checkout in apps and on websites. Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay2. Why Is It Arriving In India Only Now?There were two obstacles: regulation and money. On regulation, the Reserve Bank of India last year allowed biometric authentication for card payments, which lets Apple's service work with Indian bank cards using Face ID and Touch ID. On money, Apple has been seeking a 15-20 basis point share of the interchange fee on each credit card transaction, while large Indian issuers have countered with about 10 basis points. The fee would be paid by banks out of their existing interchange earnings, not charged to cardholders or merchants directly. This is reportedly one reason the launch slipped past its original mid-2026 target. 3. Which Banks And Cards Will Be Supported?At launch, only Axis Bank credit cards, according to Reuters. Axis is India's fourth-largest credit card issuer, with 16.26 million active credit cards in July, behind HDFC Bank, SBI Cards and ICICI Bank. Apple has also held talks with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but two of the sources said they have yet to agree commercial terms. Apple plans to add lenders over time through direct, bank-by-bank deals, mirroring phased rollouts in other markets. If your bank isn't on the list yet, you will have to wait for it to sign its own deal.4. Will It Work With Debit Cards, RuPay Or UPI?Probably not at first. Apple Pay will initially support credit cards on global networks such as Visa and Mastercard, and will not support UPI at launch. Offering UPI would require clearance from the National Payments Corporation of India and a partnership with a sponsor bank to route transactions. Reports also suggest RuPay won't be supported at launch. 5. How Is Apple Pay Different From UPI Apps Like Google Pay And PhonePe?UPI apps move money directly between bank accounts over NPCI's real-time network. A tap on an iPhone doesn't touch a bank account directly the way a UPI transaction does. Apple Pay works through tokenised cards on networks such as Visa and Mastercard. You are paying with a credit card, so you get the card's rewards, billing cycle and dispute process.Cost: UPI is free for consumers and very cheap for merchants. Card payments are costlier for merchants, which is why Apple's interchange fee matters to banks.6. Doesn't UPI Already Offer Tap-To-Pay?Yes, but 10 days ago, NPCI launched UPI Tap & Pay at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. Users can unlock a compatible smartphone and tap it on an NFC-enabled terminal without opening their UPI app, and the phone doesn't need mobile internet. Transactions up to Rs 5,000 can be made without a PIN. Apple Pay is therefore not the only tap option, and it is entering a crowded market. UPI already accounts for 84 per cent of India's digital payments volume. Apple's pitch is likely to be aimed at credit card users, particularly premium ones, and at a smoother, more secure checkout.7. Can I Send Money To Android Phones With Apple Pay?No, and Apple Pay isn't designed for that. It is a way to pay merchants with your cards, not a peer-to-peer transfer app. Apple's person-to-person feature, Apple Cash, has been a US-only offering, and nothing in the reports on the Indian launch suggests it is coming. To send money to a friend on Android, keep using UPI apps such as Google Pay, PhonePe or Paytm. They work on iPhones too and don't depend on the receiver's phone brand. If Apple later adds UPI support, that could change, but there is no sign of it yet.8. Will I Be Able To Use It At Any Shop?Only at stores with contactless (NFC-enabled) card terminals. Small merchants who rely on QR codes won't be reachable with Apple Pay, since it doesn't support UPI QR payments at launch. Expect it to be most useful at larger retailers, malls, restaurants, airports and online.9. Which Apple Devices Will It Work On?iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad users will be able to use it. Apple hasn't published a compatibility list for India. More details will be available ahead of the launch.10. Does This Change How I Pay For App Store?Possibly. Reports say eligible cardholders could pay for iCloud+, Apple Music and other subscriptions, as well as App Store purchases, directly with their card, rather than through UPI, net banking or Apple Account balance top-ups, which have been the only options since 2022.