Apple Pay launches in India with Axis Bank partnership

Apple

30/09/2026 05:31

       Sept 30 (Reuters) - Apple Pay  AAPL.O  has launched in
India through a partnership with Axis Bank  AXBK.NS , giving the
payment service its first foothold in one of the world's largest
digital payments markets, the lender said on Wednesday.
    Axis Bank, India's third-largest private lender, will be the
first Indian bank to offer Apple Pay, initially to customers
with credit cards on the Visa  V.N  and Mastercard  MA.N 
networks. 
    Cards on India's homegrown RuPay network will not be
eligible.
    "India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population
that continues to embrace a cashless future while expecting the
highest standards of security and privacy, and we're so excited
to bring Apple Pay to users in India today," Jennifer Bailey,
Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said in a
statement.
    Axis Bank is India's fourth-largest credit card issuer, with
16.3 million cards outstanding as of August, out of 124 million
nationwide, central bank data showed.
    The launch would help the US company offer its payment
service in the world's most populous country, one of the ​few
major economies where it is not available.
    Apple Pay has also held talks with larger rivals HDFC Bank
 HDBK.NS  and ICICI Bank  ICBK.NS , but has yet to agree
commercial terms, Reuters reported earlier this month.
    India's Unified Payments Interface, a real-time bank
transfer system, accounts for 84% of digital payment volumes and
is the world's largest retail fast-payment system by transaction
volume, according to a 2025 IMF report.
    Customers can add eligible cards through Axis Bank's mobile
app or Apple Wallet and make payments in stores, in apps and
online using an iPhone, Apple Watch or iPad, the lender said in
a statement.
    Apple Pay lets users make contact less payments without
entering a card PIN or one-time password, authenticating
transactions through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode.
    

    (Reporting by Anuran Sadhu in Bengaluru and Jaspreet Kalra
in Mumbai; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)
 ((Anuran.Sadhu@thomsonreuters.com; +91 8697274436;))