# Apple Pay to launch in India next month with Axis Bank credit cards

2026-09-19T00:21:48+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Apple Pay will launch in India next month, initially supporting only Axis Bank credit card transactions, according to a Reuters report citing three unnamed sources. Apple is also in talks with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but neither has accepted the commercial terms offered by Apple, the report said. Apple plans to add more lenders through direct bank-by-bank deals, a strategy it has used in other markets. India is one of the few major economies where Apple Pay is not yet available. Axis Bank declined to comment, and Apple did not respond to requests for comment. Apple Pay will enter a market dominated by UPI, which processed 24.5 billion transactions worth Rs 29.82 lakh crore in August 2026, accounting for 84% of India's digital payment volumes. Apple's initial strategy focuses on the credit-card ecosystem rather than competing directly with UPI.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three sources report the same Reuters-sourced launch story neutrally, with no editorial slant. Gadgets360 and Business Today add market context: UPI's dominance and the scale of Apple Pay globally. The coverage is uniform straight reporting. The key question is whether Apple can gain traction in a market where 84% of digital payments already flow through UPI, especially with an initial credit-card-only offering. The real test will be how many Axis Bank credit-card users adopt Apple Pay in the first quarter after launch, and whether HDFC and ICICI eventually agree to Apple's commercial terms.

## Coverage

- gadgets360.com (neutral report) <https://www.gadgets360.com/apps/news/apple-pay-india-launch-soon-timeline-axis-bank-partnership-report-12064748>
  Leads with launch date and Axis Bank partnership
- pymnts.com (neutral report) <https://www.pymnts.com/apple/2026/apple-teams-with-axis-bank-for-long-awaited-apple-pay-debut-in-india/>
  Adds context of antitrust probe and digital wallet data
- businesstoday.in (neutral report) <https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/how-big-is-apple-pay-us-payment-giant-to-enter-india-as-upi-dominates-digital-payments-556629-2026-09-19?utm_source=rssfeed>
  Emphasises UPI dominance and Apple's credit-card strategy

Tags: Apple Pay, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, India
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