Apple Pay in India: How to set it up and which cards work

To set up Apple Pay in India, add an eligible Axis Bank Visa or Mastercard credit card through the latest Axis Bank mobile app or the Wallet app on a compatible iPhone, then complete any card-verification steps. As of October 1, 2026, those are the Indian-issued cards supported at launch—not cards from every bank. Apple announced the service on September 30 and said it was available that day, so October 1 is not a separate launch date.

Which cards and devices are eligible?

The initial card support covers Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. An Axis Bank debit card, a RuPay card or a card from another Indian bank does not fall within the announced launch support. Having a Visa or Mastercard logo alone is not enough: the issuing bank and card type matter too. If Wallet will not accept a card that appears eligible, check its status with Axis Bank.

Apple Pay works at launch on compatible iPhones and Apple Watches for in-store contactless payments. Apple’s stated requirements are an iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 11 or later. The watch must be paired with an iPhone XR or later. Eligible users can also pay in participating apps and on websites using an iPhone or iPad; Axis Bank lists iPadOS 18 or later as its iPad requirement. Apple says direct Mac support is coming later, rather than being part of this launch.

How do you add an Axis Bank card?

One route is to update and open the Axis Bank mobile banking app, select the eligible credit card and choose Add to Apple Wallet. Alternatively, open Wallet on an iPhone, tap the plus button and follow the prompts to add a credit card. You can present the card to the iPhone or enter its details manually. Follow the bank’s verification instructions before trying to pay.

Card verification during setup is different from authorising a purchase. Axis Bank says verification may use a one-time password or confirmation in its app; a card marked as requiring verification cannot yet be used with Apple Pay. Once it is added, purchases are authorised on the device with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. You do not normally enter the physical card’s PIN or an SMS OTP at each Apple Pay checkout.

If you want to pay with an Apple Watch, add the card to the watch as well. On the paired iPhone, open the Watch app, go to Wallet & Apple Pay and follow the steps to add the card. A card added to an iPhone should not be assumed to be ready on every other device; check that it appears in the watch’s Wallet before leaving your physical card behind.

Where can you use it?

In a store, look for a contactless payment symbol on the terminal. On an iPhone, double-click the side button—or use the Home button on a supported Touch ID model—authenticate if prompted, then hold the top of the phone near the reader. On an Apple Watch, double-click its side button and hold the display near the reader. Axis Bank says the card’s contactless or “Tap and Pay” setting must be enabled for in-store purchases.

For an app or website purchase, choose Apple Pay when the merchant offers it, review the payment details and authenticate on the device. Axis Bank says online shopping must be enabled in the card’s usage settings. Apple named Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Croma, Ixigo, Tata 1mg and Zomato among launch merchants, but payment options can vary by checkout. Look for the Apple Pay button online rather than assuming every site that accepts cards supports it.

The key distinction is that this is a way to use a supported credit card through an Apple device. Apple did not announce support for Indian bank accounts or UPI QR payments as part of this launch. A shop displaying only a UPI QR code is therefore not necessarily a place where this Apple Pay setup will work. Users can still earn the rewards attached to their eligible Axis Bank credit card when they pay through Apple Pay.