Apple Pay Enters India Through Axis Bank with Visa, Mastercard Cards

Apple has launched its Apple Pay service in India through a partnership with Axis Bank. The service is initially available to Axis Bank credit card customers whose cards operate on the Visa and Mastercard networks. 

Axis Bank is the first Indian bank to offer Apple Pay. Credit cards issued on the domestic RuPay network are not eligible under the initial rollout. 

Payments Through Apple Devices 

Eligible customers can add their cards through the Axis Bank mobile application or Apple Wallet. Payments can be made at contactless terminals, as well as through supported apps and websites. 

The service is available on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Mac support is expected to be added later. In stores, transactions can be authenticated using Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode. 

Card Details and Tokenisation 

Apple Pay does not require users to enter card details, PINs or one-time passwords for each transaction. Apple said the actual card number is not stored on the device or its servers and is not shared with merchants. 

Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned to the card and stored in the device’s Secure Element. Mastercard also uses tokenisation technology for Apple Pay transactions, replacing card details with a unique token. 

Axis Bank Card Base 

Axis Bank had 16.3 million credit cards outstanding in August, according to central bank data. India’s total credit card base stood at 124 million during the month. 

India’s Digital Payments Market 

India’s Unified Payments Interface accounted for 84% of digital payment volumes, according to a 2025 IMF report. UPI is also the world’s largest retail fast-payment system by transaction volume. 

Apple Pay will initially be accepted across thousands of merchants and apps, including Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Croma, Zomato and Tata 1mg. Apple said more merchants and apps are expected to be added over time. 

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Conclusion 

The launch gives Apple Pay an entry into India’s large digital payments market, beginning with Axis Bank’s Visa and Mastercard credit cards. RuPay cards are excluded from the initial rollout. 

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