Apple Pay Finally Launches in India, but Only With Axis Bank for Now

Ever wished you could just tap your iPhone and walk out of the store? After years of waiting, iPhone users in India can finally do that, as Apple Pay is now live in the country.

I’ve been following Apple Pay’s slow spread across the world for a while now, and India has always been the big one missing. In today’s post, we’ll be looking at Apple Pay’s India launch to see what works, what doesn’t, and what it means for us here in Nigeria. Here’s what we’ll cover: supported banks, what’s missing, how it works, where you can use it, and the Nigeria angle.

Supported Banks

Here’s the catch. At launch, only Axis Bank credit cards on Visa and Mastercard work. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI Card are not on board yet.

According to TechCrunch, talks with some banks stalled over fees, with Apple reportedly asking for about 0.2% per transaction. None of the parties confirmed that.

What’s Missing

RuPay cards don’t work, and neither does UPI (Unified Payments Interface, India’s instant bank-to-bank payment system). To be honest, that’s a big deal, because UPI handles most digital payments in India.

How It Works

It’s simple. You double-click the side button, confirm with Face ID or Touch ID, and hold your phone near the card machine. You don’t need a PIN or OTP at checkout, and Apple says your card number isn’t stored on the phone or shared with the shop.

You’ll need:

• An iPhone XR or newer on iOS 18 or later
• An Apple Watch Series 6 or newer on watchOS 11 or later
• An iPad also works, and Mac support is “coming soon”

Where You Can Use It

Apple has already named some stores that accept it, including Zomato, Blinkit, Croma, Tata 1mg, Ixigo and Reliance brands. Of course, any shop with a contactless card machine that supports it also works.

What About Nigeria?

Apple Pay is still not available here. In Africa, Apple’s official list only covers Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco and South Africa. Nigerian shops can accept Apple Pay through Paystack from customers with supported cards, but Nigerian bank cards still can’t be added to Apple Wallet.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Fast tap-to-pay with Face ID or Touch ID
• No PIN or OTP at checkout
• Card details aren’t shared with the shop
• Works on iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad

Cons

• Only Axis Bank credit cards at launch
• No UPI or RuPay support
• Still not available in Nigeria

Finally, is Apple Pay’s India launch a big deal? Here’s my verdict.

Yes, but it’s a slow start. Until more banks and UPI join, most Indians will keep paying the way they already do. Either way, India getting Apple Pay gives me some hope that more markets, hopefully including Nigeria, won’t be too far behind.