Razorpay, PayU enable Apple Pay across Indian merchant networks
Apple has also worked closely with other payment service providers (PSPs) like BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm and Pine Labs to bring Apple Pay to their merchant networks in India.
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Payments majors Razorpay and PayU have enabled Apple Pay across their merchant networks as Apple’s payments service officially went live in India on Wednesday.
Apple has now officially launched the service, initially allowing customers with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards to make payments using their Apple devices, the American tech giant said in a statement.
The Head and Tale reported Apple Pay's India launch with Axis Bank shortly after midnight.
Apart from Razorpay and PayU, Apple has also worked closely with other payment service providers (PSPs) like BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm and Pine Labs to bring Apple Pay to their merchant networks in India, with even more merchants and apps coming over time, the statement added.
PayU has integrated Apple Pay into its merchant network, allowing eligible businesses to offer the payment option through its checkout infrastructure, the payments company said in a separate statement.
Nikhil Mehta, senior vice president and business head – growth initiatives at PayU, said the company will help merchants navigate the technical integration and compliance requirements involved in supporting Apple Pay. He added that the payment option could give customers a faster and more convenient checkout experience.
Razorpay has also enabled Apple Pay for eligible online and in-store payments. Merchants using Razorpay Standard Checkout can offer the payment option without creating a separate checkout flow, subject to enablement requirements, the payments company said in a separate statement.
Rahul Kothari, COO, Razorpay, said Apple Pay can reduce checkout friction by allowing customers to authenticate payments through their Apple devices rather than manually entering card details or waiting for an OTP. Merchants can offer the payment option through their existing Razorpay checkout infrastructure.
Apple Pay allows users to add an eligible card to Apple Wallet and make contactless payments through an iPhone, Apple Watch or iPad. Transactions can be authenticated using Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode, while Apple's tokenisation technology means the customer's actual card number is not shared with merchants.
"India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population that continues to embrace a cashless future while expecting the highest standards of security and privacy, and we’re so excited to bring Apple Pay to users in India today," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
Axis Bank is currently Apple's first confirmed banking partner in India. Talks with other major card issuers, including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, have reportedly been ongoing.
The launch puts Apple Pay into a payments market dominated by unified payments interface (UPI). Unlike UPI-based payment apps, Apple Pay is focused on card-based transactions, including contactless payments through NFC-enabled terminals.
Apple Pay is currently available in more than 90 countries and regions and works with more than 11,000 bank and network partners globally, according to Apple.