Apple has switched on Apple Pay in India, allowing eligible users to make contactless payments from iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. At launch the wallet supports Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards, with Mac support listed as coming soon. Merchants do not need a separate Apple-only directory, but their terminals must accept contactless or NFC tap-and-pay for in-store use.
Where it works on day one
Apple named Apple Store, Blinkit, Croma, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato among early acceptors and said it has partnered BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs and Razorpay to widen merchant reach. In stores, shoppers should look for the contactless mark on the POS. Online, Apple Pay appears where gateways have enabled it for Axis-issued cards stored in Apple Wallet.
The debut adds a global wallet brand to India’s crowded UPI-and-cards stack. Banks and networks will watch early transaction volumes, dispute rates and merchant complaints. Analysts say adoption will depend on how fast more banks join Axis and whether kirana, fuel and transit terminals support NFC at scale — not only premium retail and large e-commerce checkouts.
How it sits beside UPI
Unlike UPI, Apple Pay here rides card rails at launch, so merchant MDR and network rules still apply. That may slow small-merchant uptake even as organised retail and online platforms move faster, positioning the service as a premium layer rather than a mass UPI replacement. Reporting: Moneycontrol.
What shoppers should check
Users need an eligible Axis Bank card in Wallet, Face ID or passcode enabled, and a contactless-ready merchant. For now the proposition is clearest in organised retail and app checkouts; neighbourhood shops may lag until more banks and POS networks join. Moneycontrol’s explainers walk through the practical rules for everyday use.
Today’s News 1 Oct 2026 · 21 stories
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15Apple Pay launches in India with Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard cardsOct 1, 2026 · Reading now- 16ECI drops Form 6 SIR declaration in finalised states as Rahul presses TCS questionsOct 1, 2026
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