Apple Pay may finally arrive in India without UPI support: Report
Follow UsApple Pay could launch in India by September or October 2026.
The service may initially support Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
UPI support may not be available at launch.
Apple is reportedly planning to launch its much-awaited payment service in India. The Cupertino giant is expected to roll out Apple Pay by the end of September or early October in 2026. The company is said to be negotiating terms with major Indian credit card issuers. However, one thing to note is that the Apple Pay rollout may miss the UPI feature. Instead, Apple is expected to start with credit card payments on the Visa and Mastercard networks, letting users add supported cards to Apple Wallet for contactless payments via iPhone. The plan would give Indian users a new way to pay with cards, though it’s unlikely to challenge popular UPI apps for everyday transactions right away. Here’s everything we have on the upcoming Apple Pay launch in India for now.
SurveyApple Pay may skip UPI
The upcoming Apple Pay is said to be likely rolled out without the UPI support. Apple would need approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and a sponsor bank partnership to offer UPI payments through Apple Pay. However, according to reports, neither of which appears to be in place yet.
Hence, it’s expected that the service will likely focus only on card-based payments initially. This means apps like Google Pay and PhonePe will remain essential for users who rely on UPI for daily transactions.
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How will Apple Pay work?
Under the reported plan, iPhone users could add eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards to Apple Wallet, then make contactless payments via NFC at compatible terminals. The process mirrors Apple Pay’s rollout in other countries: instead of carrying a physical card, users authenticate on their iPhone and tap the device at a supported terminal.
Apple discussing transaction fees
Transaction costs remain a key sticking point. Apple is reportedly seeking 15 to 20 basis points per credit card transaction, while some issuers are pushing for around 10 basis points. One basis point equals 0.01 per cent. However, this fee wouldn’t hit customers directly as it would come from banks’ own interchange earnings on card transactions.
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Apple Pay: When will it launch in India
Do note that Apple has not yet officially confirmed the launch date or feature set for the Indian users regarding the upcoming Apple Pay. However, reports claim that the feature could roll out towards the end of September or early October.
