Oct 2, 20261 min read
Apple Pay targets India launch by mid-2026 despite UPI dominance
Apple is negotiating with major Indian banks to launch Apple Pay by mid-2026, requiring a checkout rebuild in a market dominated by QR code payments.
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Apple Pay targets India launch by mid-2026 despite UPI dominance
0:00 / 0:28At an Indian checkout, a customer taps an iPhone, but the payment screen leads somewhere else. India has more than 1 billion smartphone users, yet Apple Pay is missing.
UPI dominance shapes India's payment landscape
Banks built around UPI, where people scan a QR code to transfer from a bank account. This system has become the standard payment method across the country.
Apple negotiates with major banks
Apple is reportedly negotiating with ICICI, HDFC, and Axis for a mid-2026 launch.
Launch requires fundamental changes
That launch means rebuilding checkout, not adding tap-to-pay. The infrastructure shift reflects how different India's payment ecosystem is from markets where Apple Pay already operates.
