Image Courtesy : apple.com
Apple is bringing back a payment option that millions of Indian users have been waiting for. After nearly four years, the company has reportedly restored credit and debit card payments for App Store purchases and subscriptions in India, marking a significant step toward simplifying payments for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.
The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited group of users before expanding more broadly over the coming months. Once fully available, customers will once again be able to use their credit and debit cards to pay for apps, games, iCloud storage, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and other Apple services without relying solely on alternative payment methods.
Apple discontinued card payments in India after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced stricter regulations requiring merchants to comply with card tokenization and data localization rules. Since then, Indian users have primarily depended on UPI, net banking, or Apple ID balance top-ups to complete purchases on the App Store, creating additional steps for recurring subscriptions and digital purchases.
The return of card payments indicates that Apple has now aligned its systems with the RBI's tokenization framework, which replaces stored card details with secure digital tokens while requiring payment data to meet India's regulatory standards. The change is expected to make transactions more convenient while maintaining stronger security for users.
The move also comes as Apple continues laying the groundwork for the eventual launch of Apple Pay in India. Reports suggest the company has been working closely with major Indian banks and global card networks to introduce its mobile payment service, with an initial focus on contactless card payments before expanding into additional payment capabilities.
For Apple's growing customer base in India, the restoration of card payments removes a long-standing inconvenience and signals the company's continued investment in one of its fastest-growing markets. As Apple expands its ecosystem and payment services across the country, users can expect a smoother and more familiar purchasing experience for apps, subscriptions, and digital content.