Apple Pay launches in India with only Axis Bank cards and no UPI support

Apple launched Apple Pay in India on September 30, 2026, enabling tap-to-pay on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch in stores, apps and on websites. The rollout supports only Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards, with no UPI integration, while UPI accounts for 85.5% of digital transaction volume in the country.

• Launched September 30, 2026, a decade after Tim Cook first raised the idea
• Only Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards supported; RuPay and other banks excluded
• UPI holds 85.5% of digital transaction volume, with 24.51 Bn transactions in August 2026
• No UPI integration, and no Apple Cash equivalent announced for India