Bhubaneswar: Apple Inc. is preparing to roll out its digital payments service, Apple Pay, in India by late 2026, ending years of regulatory and operational delays in one of the world’s largest digital payments markets. India remains one of the few major economies where Apple Pay is yet to be officially launched.
According to reports, Apple is in advanced discussions with Indian regulators, domestic banks, and global card networks such as Visa and Mastercard to obtain the necessary approvals for the service. Compliance with India’s data localisation norms, payment regulations, and banking requirements has been a key factor behind the delayed entry.
Once introduced, Apple Pay will allow users to make contactless “tap-to-pay” transactions using iPhones and Apple Watches at NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals. Customers will be able to add their debit and credit cards to Apple Wallet and authenticate payments using Face ID or Touch ID, aligning with Apple Pay’s existing global security framework.
India’s digital payments landscape is currently dominated by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which facilitates instant bank-to-bank transfers and accounts for the bulk of daily transactions. Given this ecosystem, Apple Pay’s initial offering in India is expected to focus on card-based contactless payments rather than UPI integration. Industry observers note that compatibility with UPI or similar real-time payment systems could be explored at a later stage.
The potential launch reflects Apple’s broader strategy to deepen its services presence in India, where the company has already expanded manufacturing, retail operations, and market share. If approved, Apple Pay would add another global payments option to India’s rapidly evolving fintech ecosystem, though its adoption may depend on user familiarity with contactless card payments and merchant readiness.
-OdishaAge
