Apple to launch digital payment service ‘Apple Pay’ in India:iPhone users will be able to make payments without swiping cards as company holds talks with Visa, Mastercard

Apple is preparing to launch its digital payment service ‘Apple Pay’ in India. For this, the company has started discussions with major card networks like Mastercard and Visa.
According to a Moneycontrol report, Apple is in the process of obtaining necessary regulatory approvals in India. The company plans to roll it out in a phased manner by 2026.
Service may launch without UPI initially According to reports, in the first phase of Apple Pay, the company will not apply for a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) license for UPI. Initially, Apple’s entire focus will be on card-based contactless payments. This means iPhone users will be able to store their credit or debit cards in Apple Wallet and make payments at merchant outlets by simply tapping their phone. Tap-to-pay feature will provide convenience
With the arrival of Apple Pay, users will not need to carry physical cards. It uses ‘tap-to-pay’ technology, which is based on Near-Field Communication (NFC).
Users will be able to authenticate payments via Face ID or Touch ID. This will make the payment process much faster and more secure. Currently, the facility to add Indian cards to Apple Wallet is not available. Also read: Scientists discover viruses trained in space better at killing bacteria

Company working to meet regulatory requirements
In India, the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has strict rules regarding digital payments, especially concerning data storage and card tokenization. Apple is discussing with regulators to comply with all these rules. Additionally, discussions are also underway with banks regarding commercial agreements and fee structures.
Apple takes a small portion from the bank as a fee on every transaction, and reaching an agreement with banks on this in India could be a major challenge. Google Pay and PhonePe could face competition Apple Pay will compete with existing giants like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. However, Apple Pay will only work on Apple devices (iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad). However, other apps run on both Android and iOS. Apple’s market share in India is continuously growing, so this service could become quite popular among premium users. Also read: Planning to buy something during the Republic Day Sale 2026? 7 things to keep in mind to avoid scams

Service available in 89 countries in the global market Apple Pay is currently available in 89 countries worldwide. Its entry into India is part of Apple’s strategy, under which it sees India as its biggest market after China.
Earlier, Apple had rolled out some features for international payments in India in collaboration with Razorpay, but the full service at the domestic level is yet to arrive.