Apple is bringing back card payments for Apple Account purchases in India after a four-year hiatus

Apple has begun reinstating card payments for Apple Account purchases in India more than four years after withdrawing the option, the latest sign of how the iPhone maker is adapting its services to regulatory changes that have reshaped the country’s digital payments landscape.

The change, which is rolling out in phases, allows users in India to add eligible Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards to their Apple Account to pay for subscriptions like iCloud+ and Apple Music, as well as App Store purchases.

In May 2022, Apple suspended card payments in India following changes to the country’s recurring payment system. Since then, users have relied on UPI, India’s real-time payment network, bank-wide, and Apple Account balances for subscriptions and other Apple digital purchases.

The move reflects a broader challenge for Apple as governments around the world impose country-specific regulations on digital platforms, increasingly requiring the Cupertino company to tailor products, payments, and other services to local regulatory frameworks rather than providing uniform global information. Similar pressures have led Apple to review parts of its App Store business in Europe, while regulatory changes in Japan and South Korea have also adjusted aspects of app distribution and payments.

Apple has made the necessary backend changes to support card payments under India’s regulatory framework, according to a person familiar with the matter. A phased rollout started recently and is expected to be extended to all eligible users over time. Apple has also updated its support documentation to reflect the change.

The framework, introduced by the Reserve Bank of India in 2021 and implemented in phases, required merchants and payment providers to introduce strong customer authentication for recurring card payments and accept tokenized card credentials, while prohibiting merchants from storing customer card details. The change disrupted subscription billing for many local and international companies before they updated their payment systems.

“It’s been a long time coming but it’s finally happening. This solves one of the friction points of registration renewal,” said Tarun Pathak, director of research at Counterpoint Research.

Apple’s services business in India has continued to grow at a double-digit pace despite the lack of direct card payments, but reinstating the option is becoming more important as the company’s installed base grows and more users expect more payment methods, he told TechCrunch.

The return of card payments may also reignite speculation about Apple Pay in India, following media reports that the company is exploring bringing the service to the country. Apple has not announced any plans to launch a mobile payment service in India.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.