Apple has quietly restarted credit and debit card payments for App Store and iCloud purchases in India after a five-year gap. The move follows RBI’s strict tokenisation and data localisation rules that earlier forced Apple to rely only on UPI and net banking. A limited beta is currently being tested with select users.

After a half-decade hiatus, Apple has quietly restarted credit and debit card payments for App Store and iCloud purchases in India, a move that comes as the company bends to the Reserve Bank of India's strict tokenisation and data localisation mandates. According to sources, the Cupertino-based technology giant is currently running a limited beta with select users and plans to expand access to the broader user base over the coming months. The restoration of card payments marks a significant shift in Apple's payment strategy in the country, signaling both its commitment to India as a market and the compromises it must make to operate here.

Apple ends five-year card drought

Apple disabled card payments for all App Store and iCloud transactions in India back in 2021, shortly after the RBI introduced its card tokenisation rule. For the past five years, Indian Apple users have been forced to rely on UPI and net banking as their only payment options, a restriction that frustrated many, particularly those wanting to pay in installments or access offers from their card providers. The absence of cards limited customer choice and created friction in the purchasing experience, especially for those accustomed to paying through plastic in other markets.

RBI's iron fist: Tokenisation and data localisation