Apple Pay in India: Does It Beat UPI for You?

Apple Pay has finally launched in India with Axis Bank credit cards, but it doesn't support UPI. For most Indian users, this means limited use and fewer rewards compared to PhonePe, GPay, or Paytm.

Here's what happened: Apple Pay launched in India after over a decade of delays, starting with Axis Bank credit cards for NFC-based tap-to-pay at physical terminals.. Apple Pay does not support UPI — India's dominant payment rail — meaning it cannot be used for person-to-person transfers or QR-code payments at most merchants.. NFC payment infrastructure in India remains thin, with a large majority of small and mid-size merchants still relying on QR-code-based UPI rather than tap-enabled terminals..

What you should do: Check if your iPhone model supports NFC tap-to-pay and whether your Axis Bank credit card is eligible before assuming Apple Pay will work for you.. Compare the rewards on your existing UPI-linked credit card versus using the same card via Apple Pay — the underlying card benefits stay the same, so choose the checkout method that earns you more points.. Avoid switching your daily payments to Apple Pay until NFC terminal coverage improves — stick with UPI apps for kirana stores, autos, and small vendors where QR codes dominate..

Using a credit card on Apple Pay still attracts the same credit card charges and interest if you don't pay in full — tap-to-pay doesn't make it a debit or UPI transaction.