India Unveils Tap-and-Pay Feature Ahead of Apple Pay Launch

India introduces tap-and-pay option for UPI, preparing for Apple Pay rollout by October.

September 10, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Mumbai, India — India’s payments regulator introduced a new tap-and-pay feature on its real-time payment system, setting the stage for a full Apple Pay launch later this year.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is the world’s largest fast-payment system by transaction volume, according to a 2025 IMF report. In August alone, it handled 24.51 billion transactions valued at 29.82 trillion rupees ($314.21 billion).

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The new feature allows users to complete purchases by tapping their smartphone at point-of-sale terminals without launching the UPI app. It relies on near-field communication technology, enabling use in areas with limited connectivity. NPCI chairman Ajay Kumar Choudhary announced the development at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. A beta version of Apple Pay has been available in India for some time, but a full launch is anticipated by October, as reported by local media.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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