Apple Pay is now available in India, giving eligible Axis Bank credit-card holders a new way to pay using their iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Mac support will follow soon.
At launch, Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be added to Apple Wallet and used for contactless payments in stores, as well as for eligible purchases in apps and on websites. Apple says users will not need to enter a PIN or OTP at checkout when using Apple Pay.
The service arrives in a market already accustomed to digital payments, but its early availability is limited to Axis Bank-issued credit cards. Its usefulness will expand considerably once more banks join the platform.
Axis Bank credit-card customers using Visa or Mastercard can add eligible cards through the latest Axis Bank app or directly from the Wallet app on an iPhone. Once the card has been verified, it can be used immediately on compatible Apple devices.
For in-store payments, users can double-click the side button on an iPhone or Apple Watch, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode, and hold the device near a contactless payment terminal.
Apple Pay is supported at Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato, among others. The company has also worked with payment providers including Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay and Worldline to make the service available across their merchant networks.
Apple Pay does not store a user’s actual card number on the device or Apple’s servers. Instead, it creates a unique Device Account Number, which is encrypted and stored in the Secure Element chip on the device.
That number is used when a payment is made, so merchants do not receive the underlying card details. Mastercard and Visa also use tokenisation to protect transactions, helping ensure that sensitive card information is not passed on during checkout.
Apple says it does not retain transaction information that can be linked back to an individual user. If an iPhone is lost or stolen, users can locate the device, lock it or suspend payments through the Find My app.
The launch gives Apple users a more integrated way to make card payments without opening a separate app or entering card details repeatedly. On iPhone and iPad, it can also speed up online and in-app purchases by filling in payment, shipping and billing information securely.
Customers will continue to receive the existing rewards and benefits attached to their Axis Bank cards when paying through Apple Pay.
Apple Pay is currently available in over 90 countries and regions and works with more than 11,000 banking and network partners globally. In India, the next important step will be broader bank support, which will determine whether Apple Pay becomes a meaningful everyday alternative for more card users.