FILE PHOTO: Apple Pay logo is seen in this illustration.
Credit: Reuters
Globally, India leads digital cashless payments. It is primarily driven hassle-free Unified Payments Interface-powered platform, which handles thousands of crores worth of transactions daily.
As per the latest numbers from UPI-developer National Payments Corporation Interface (NPCI), Indians carried out 2,163.46 crore digital transactions worth Rs 27,96,712.73 crore of value in December 2025.
While Global technology majors such as Google, Meta and Amazon are competing hard with Indian players--PhonePe, PayTm and BharatPe, to get major market share, Apple has now initiated the process enter the rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem in India.
Like in the generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI) race, the Cupertino-based company is arriving late to the party.
Citing internal sources, Business Standard has reported that Apple has begun discussions with partner banks, credit card issuers, the Reserve Bank of India, NPCI and other regulatory agencies to bring Apple Pay.
It is understood that Apple Pay features will be introduced in phases as and when the company completes nitty-gritty negotiations, such as platform fees for purchase using Credit Cards (MasterCard, Visa, Rupay) on Apple devices.
Also, Apple has to get the nod from NCPI, provided they comply with local storage of transaction details in India, and only then, they get permission to integrate UPI with Apple Pay.
So, it is likely that Apple Pay may begin on a pilot programme with just debit/credit card linking and, after getting NPCI nod, roll-out UPI transaction feature later.
Given the complication of the regulatory process, Apple Pay is expected to launch late, probably in the fourth quarter of 2026. It will also be a good time for Apple to market their new iPhone 18 Pro series and their first-ever foldable iPhone, which are slated for launch in September.
It can be noted that Apple Pay is partially available for Indian users who make international transactions. Recently, India-based Akasa Air integrated Apple Pay as one of the secure payment option, to offer smoother international bookings for global travellers.
What are the benefits of having the Apple Pay app
With this, iPhone users will be able to link their debit or credit card. Once done, they can leave behind the bank cards in their home and make transactions with 'Tap to Pay' mode. User has to just tap the phone on the Point-of-Sale (PoS) machines via NFC (Near-Field-Communication) at shops to complete the transaction.
With one-tap payments enabled through Face ID or Touch ID, Apple Pay simplifies business transactions.
Also, they will be able to make secure online transactions with the Apple Pay app.
Arch-rival Samsung is also a dominant player in India's digital economy. It has Samsung Wallet (previously Samsung Pay) and offer similar features as the Apple Pay and more such as a digital key option to unlock cars.
Recently, it announced to bring biometric authentication for UPI transactions via Samsung Wallet in India.
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