Apple Pay finally arrives in India on a limited basis
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
Apple Pay has launched in India on a limited basis, initially supporting only Visa and MasterCard credit cards issued by Axis Bank. The service does not yet work with cards from other major banks such as State Bank of India or HDFC Bank, nor with the local RuPay network. Apple plans to charge a 0.2 percent transaction fee, with terms still under negotiation with other banks. The payment method will be accepted at millions of merchants, including Apple Stores, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, and Zomato. Users add Axis Bank cards via the bank’s app or the Wallet app. India’s smartphone market remains dominated by Android, but Apple’s share is projected to reach 10 percent this year, driven by demand for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
💡 Why It Matters
- · Apple’s entry into India’s payment ecosystem signals a shift toward global digital wallet standards in a market dominated by local networks.
- · The move could pressure domestic banks to modernize infrastructure and compete on fee structures.
