Apple Pay is now available in India for Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Add an eligible card to Apple Wallet, then use your iPhone or Apple Watch at a contactless terminal, or pay in supported apps and online.
Who can use Apple Pay in India?
Axis Bank says all its Visa and Mastercard credit cards are eligible, including add-on cards. RuPay cards, debit cards and cards from other banks are not included in this launch.
- iPhone: iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or later.
- Apple Watch: Series 6 or later with watchOS 11 or later, paired with an eligible iPhone.
- iPad: iPadOS 18 or later.
- Mac: Apple says Mac support is coming soon. Axis currently lists Mac as unsupported.
How to add an Axis card to Apple Wallet
You can start in the Axis Mobile Banking app or directly in Apple Wallet:
- In the Axis app, select your eligible credit card and tap Add to Apple Wallet. Or open Wallet on your iPhone, tap the + button and follow the prompts.
- Check the card settings in Axis Mobile. Turn on Tap and Pay under Manage Usage Limits for in-store payments. For apps and online checkout, enable Online Shopping.
- Complete the verification requested by Axis. This may be an SMS OTP or in-app approval. The card cannot be used until verification is complete.
If Axis has issued your card but the physical card has not arrived, you can still add it if it appears in the app and online transactions are enabled. Axis currently limits those online payments to ₹5,000 per transaction until the card is delivered.
Paying in stores, apps and online
In a store: Double-click the side button on your iPhone, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode, then hold the phone near the contactless reader. On Apple Watch, double-click the side button and bring the watch close to the reader. You authenticate on the device; you do not enter the card PIN at the terminal.
In an app or on a website: Choose Apple Pay at checkout and confirm the payment on your iPhone or iPad. Mac checkout support has not launched yet.
Apple names Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Croma, Ixigo, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato among launch merchants. Look for the Apple Pay or contactless symbol; not every checkout will support it.
Fees, rewards and card security
Axis says there is no setup, transaction or annual fee for Apple Pay itself. Your usual credit-card charges and terms still apply, and Axis says eligible purchases continue to earn the card’s regular rewards and benefits.
Your actual card number is not stored on the device or Apple’s servers, and Apple does not share it with the merchant. A device-specific account number is stored in the Secure Element. If your iPhone is lost, use Find My to lock it or suspend Apple Pay on that device.
What this means for Axis cardholders
If you already use an eligible Axis credit card with a supported Apple device, Apple Pay gives you another way to pay without carrying the physical card for every tap. It is not useful yet if your main card is RuPay or issued by another bank.
- SourceApple: Apple Pay
