Apple has resumed accepting credit and debit cards for Apple Account purchases in India, after discontinuing the option in 2022. TechCrunch reports that the phased rollout allows eligible Visa and Mastercard cards to be used for subscriptions such as iCloud+ and Apple Music, as well as App Store purchases.
What changed? Users can now add eligible Visa and Mastercard cards directly to their Apple Account for payments. Since 2022, Indian users have relied on UPI, net banking, or Apple Account balance top-ups. Apple has updated its support documentation to reflect this change, and a source confirmed the company has completed the necessary backend work to comply with India’s payment regulations. The rollout will gradually expand to all eligible users.
Why did card payments disappear in the first place? Apple suspended card payments in India in May 2022 following changes to the country’s recurring payments regulations. The Reserve Bank of India’s framework, introduced in 2021 and implemented in phases, required merchants and payment processors to strengthen authentication for recurring card transactions, use tokenized card credentials, and discontinue the direct storage of customer card details. This transition disrupted billing for many domestic and international companies until their systems were updated.
Part of a wider pattern for Apple: This reversal reflects a broader trend of governments imposing country-specific regulations on digital platforms. As a result, Apple must adapt its payments and App Store operations for each market instead of maintaining a single global system. Apple has already modified its App Store fee structure in the EU, and regulatory changes in Japan and South Korea have also required adjustments to app distribution and payment options.
What’s still unresolved? This development may renew speculation about Apple Pay’s entry into India, following previous reports that Apple considered launching the service but faced commission-related disagreements with banks. Apple has not announced plans to introduce Apple Pay in India and did not respond to requests for comment on the card-payments rollout.
Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, described the move as overdue but welcome, noting that it removes a barrier to subscription renewals. He observed that Apple’s services business in India continued to grow at double-digit rates without direct card payments, but restoring this option is becoming increasingly important as Apple’s user base expands and demand for payment flexibility increases.
Also read:
- New US Bill Proposes Changes to How App Stores Handle In-App Payments
- Here are the changes Apple is making to its policies around browsers and contactless payments in the EU
- Apple Approves Spotify Update Enabling External Payment Links on iOS After US Court Ruling
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