Apple Pay has officially joined India’s cross-border payments landscape, with payment firms like PayGlocal, Razorpay, and Cashfree Payments integrating the service to support international cardholders. The move is expected to reshape how Indian merchants accept global payments and streamline transactions for overseas buyers.
Consumers can now complete payments using Face ID or Touch ID, eliminating manual card entry and reducing fraud through tokenisation. “There are no additional fees or hidden costs; customers use their same cards, keep their rewards and enjoy faster checkouts,” said Yogesh Lokhande, Co-founder and CTO of PayGlocal. He likened the experience to the simplicity and trust UPI has brought to domestic transactions.
For Indian merchants, the benefits are potentially game-changing. Cashfree Payments estimates that Apple Pay could reduce failed transactions by up to 75% in markets like the US, UK, UAE, Canada, and Europe — regions where card payments dominate.
Lokhande noted that while card fees remain unchanged, merchants benefit from fewer chargebacks and failed payments. “Apple Pay’s tokenised and biometric system reduces fraud, chargebacks and failed transactions, improving success rates and lowering the real cost of acceptance,” he said.
Apple Pay is being rolled out at no extra cost for small and mid-sized businesses. “No code, no heavy integration and no extra cost,” said Lokhande, adding that the ease of onboarding could especially benefit SMEs traditionally burdened by cross-border payment friction.
Its launch aligns with India’s push to strengthen its role in global digital commerce, particularly in sectors like travel, SaaS, and e-commerce exports. As digital wallets grow more critical in international markets — where cards account for over 50% of e-commerce value in North America and nearly 43% in Europe, according to Worldpay — Apple Pay’s presence could unlock wider access to overseas consumers.
Razorpay has already enabled Apple Pay for brands such as Mokobara, Akasa Air, Sabyasachi, and House of Masaba, signaling early traction among exporters and D2C players.
