Apple Pay India launch starts with Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard cards

The Apple Pay India launch began on September 30, with the service initially available to customers holding eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Apple said the service works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch for payments at participating stores, in apps and online; support for Mac is due later.

The limited bank and card-network coverage defines the first phase of the rollout. Apple’s announcement covers Axis Bank credit cards on Visa and Mastercard, while Finextra and Engadget reported that cards on India’s RuPay network cannot be added at launch. Other Indian bank cards are not included in the confirmed launch terms.

Which cards and devices work with Apple Pay in India?

Eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit-card holders can add a card either through the latest Axis Bank app or through the Apple Wallet app, Apple said. Once the card is added, it can be used on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Apple has said Mac compatibility is coming soon.

For an in-store purchase, users activate the payment function, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode when prompted, and hold the iPhone or Apple Watch near a contactless reader, according to Apple. The company said users keep receiving the rewards and benefits attached to their underlying card.

Apple said the service is available at participating physical and online merchants, including Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Croma, Ixigo, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato. Its launch materials use differing descriptions of the merchant footprint, referring in one place to thousands of merchants and elsewhere to millions, so they do not establish a single verified total.

Does Apple Pay in India support RuPay or UPI?

RuPay cards are not eligible in the initial launch, according to Finextra and Engadget. The confirmed Apple Pay offering is based on eligible credit cards issued by Axis Bank and carried on Visa or Mastercard.

That is distinct from India’s Unified Payments Interface, or UPI, which enables account-to-account payments, Finextra reported. Apple’s launch announcement describes card payments and does not list UPI among the available payment methods.

How does Apple say Apple Pay protects card details?

Apple said a customer’s actual card number is neither stored on the device nor on Apple’s servers, and Apple does not share that number with the merchant. Instead, the company said, a unique Device Account Number is encrypted and held in the device’s Secure Element, a chip designed to store payment information.

Those are Apple’s descriptions of the service’s security and privacy design. Payment acceptance remains dependent on participating merchants, supported cards and enabled contactless infrastructure. Apple’s support page now lists India among the countries and regions where Apple Pay is available.

This story draws on original reporting from Finextra Research.