Apple has begun restoring card payments for Apple Account purchases in India in 2026, more than four years after suspending the option following regulatory changes to the country’s recurring payments framework.
The phased rollout allows users in India to add eligible Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards to their Apple Account to pay for subscriptions such as iCloud+ and Apple Music, as well as App Store purchases. Apple has updated its support documentation to reflect the change, and the rollout is expected to expand to all eligible users over time.
Apple originally suspended card payments in India in May 2022 after the Reserve Bank of India introduced a new framework in 2021 requiring stronger customer authentication for recurring card payments, tokenized card credentials, and a prohibition on merchants storing customers’ card details. The transition disrupted subscription billing for numerous domestic and international companies. Since then, Indian users have relied on UPI, net banking, and Apple Account balance for Apple digital purchases.
Apple has made the backend changes needed to support card payments under India’s regulatory framework, according to a person familiar with the matter. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
The development highlights a broader challenge Apple faces as governments worldwide impose country-specific rules on digital platforms, requiring the company to adapt payments and services to local regulations rather than maintain a uniform global approach. Similar pressures have led Apple to revise parts of its App Store business in Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
“It’s long overdue but happening finally. This solves one of the friction points for subscription renewals,” said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research. He noted that while Apple’s services business in India has continued to grow at a double-digit pace without direct card payments, restoring the option becomes increasingly important as the company’s installed base expands and more users expect multiple ways to pay.
The move may also rekindle speculation about a potential Apple Pay launch in India, following earlier media reports that Apple has explored bringing the mobile payments service to the country. Apple has not announced any such plans.
Source: TechCrunch