Wire · operational-macro
How Apple Pay could stack up among India's payment apps
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Fusion42 · 24 September 2026 · Fusion42 review
Apple Pay is launching in India initially with Axis Bank credit cards focusing on contactless card payments, competing with the dominant UPI payment system that handles the majority of transactions. Its growth will depend on partnerships with other banks like HDFC and ICICI and possible expansion beyond card payments in a market with evolving UPI regulations introducing MDR charges on high-value merchant transactions.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Fintech, and 14 sources have reported it between 18 Sep 2026 and 2 Oct 2026.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
Apple Pay's entry shifts the payment market in India to target card users, giving card payment startups a new competitor while UPI apps keep dominance in account-based flows. You must evaluate partnerships and tech integration beyond cards to stay relevant.
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14 sources · first reported 18 Sep 2026 · latest 2 Oct 2026
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