Apple Pay Could Launch in India by October Without UPI Support: Report

Tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to launch its digital payment service, Apple Pay, in India by October 2026.

According to a report, Apple Pay will initially launch in India without support for UPI transactions, as Apple will need approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) as well as a sponsoring bank before it can offer UPI-based payments.

The report said Apple Pay will initially support Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Apple has also reportedly begun negotiations with credit card issuers over transaction fees.

Apple is reportedly negotiating a transaction fee of 15 to 20 basis points from banks for every credit card payment made through Apple Pay. However, some credit card issuers are reportedly pushing for a lower fee of 10 basis points. The fee would be borne by the banks and would not be passed on to customers or merchants, the report said.