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May 29, 2026
On the web
RBI Plans Cross-Border CBDC Pilots Amid Digital Currency Experiments
Business Standard
"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it would explore bilateral and multilateral cross-border central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilots in 2026-27, as the central bank expands experiments around digital payments, asset tokenisation and programmable money. Additionally, the RBI, in its annual report, said that in 2026-27 it would widen domestic CBDC pilots to include additional use cases in direct benefit transfer schemes and business applications."
May 18, 2026
On the web
RBI’s ‘Payments Vision 2028’ Ushers Structural Re‑Design of Ecosystem
Deccan Herald
"The vision document...seeks to build an open and interoperable card ecosystem with emphasis on merchant choice, smart tokenisation and orchestration, and transparent pricing. The vision document calls for innovation in card payments. This creates policy space for continued development of tokenised payment models, contactless and embedded experiences, stronger authentication and fraud controls and card-linked innovation aligned with security, inclusion, and efficiency objectives."
Apple Pay India Rollout Delayed Amid Commission Standoff with Banks
CNBCTV18
"The delay comes despite the technology infrastructure for the launch being largely in place. According to one of Apple Pay’s India launch partners, the service could technically go live “the next day”, but talks with large credit card issuers remain stuck over commercial terms. Apple is reportedly seeking 20 basis points (bps) per transaction from partner banks, while large lenders are only willing to offer 15 bps, in line with the commission structure Apple follows globally, including in the US."
April 30, 2026
On the web
Amazon, Meta Join Fight to End Google Pay, PhonePe Dominance in India
Techcrunch
"Amazon and Meta are set to lobby India’s payments body over the dominance of Walmart-owned PhonePe and Google Pay in the country’s fast-growing instant payments network. Executives representing Amazon Pay, WhatsApp, CRED, MobiKwik, and Flipkart’s Super.money are scheduled to meet the National Payments Corporation of India. The meeting comes over a year after India deferred plans to cap the market share of UPI apps at 30% until December 31, 2026, a measure that would have limited any single app’s share of UPI transactions."
April 24, 2026
On the web
RBI Cancels Paytm Payments Bank Licence
The Indian Express
"The Reserve Bank of India said Friday that it has cancelled the banking licence issued to Paytm Payments Bank Limited, over two years after it imposed business curbs over violations. While the bank remains operational, its activities are severely limited to processing withdrawals of existing deposits and facilitating loan referrals through banking correspondents, according to its website. It cannot take fresh deposits."
April 17, 2026
On the web
Education: From Queues to QR Codes: India’s Payment Revolution
Government of India
"India’s financial journey has evolved over centuries from barter systems and cowrie shells to coins, paper currency, and cheques. For much of its modern history, cash remained the dominant mode of transaction. The early 2000s marked the beginning of digital transformation in payments. The Reserve Bank of India introduced systems like Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) in 2004 and Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) in 2010, enabling faster and round-the-clock transfers."
April 13, 2026
Top Post
India’s Central Bank Mulls Delay for Some Digital Payments to Curb Fraud
MSN
"India's central bank is suggesting the introduction of a delay for certain digital payments above a threshold as part of measures to curb rising fraud, and sought stakeholder feedback on the proposals in a discussion paper. The Reserve Bank of India outlined four possible safeguards, including a lag for certain authorised push-payment transactions above 10,000 rupees ($107.92), additional authentication for high-value transfers by vulnerable users, limits on credits into some bank accounts without enhanced checks, and customer-controlled safeguards such as disabling digital payment channels."
April 7, 2026
On the web
Multicurrency Crypto Wallet: The Future of Flexible and Secure Payments
News18
"The #1 global gaming platform, proudly announces the launch of Multiwallet – an innovative feature that brings all currencies together in one account with separate wallets for INR, USDT, and USDC. This innovative solution lets users easily manage their funds, combining crypto and fiat payments while keeping every transaction safe, transparent, and fully under their control."
April 6, 2026
On the web
Why UPI Payments Will Feel Different From April 2026 [India]
ET Edge
"From April 1, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to implement a major overhaul of India’s digital payment security framework. These new rules which were formally issued under the “Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions Directions, 2025”,will significantly change how Indians use UPI, debit/credit cards, mobile wallets, and online banking. The most important feature of the new framework is mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for all digital payments."
March 31, 2026
On the web
Soon You Can Switch Banks Without Closing Your Account Under RBI’s New Plan [India]
Business Today
"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is moving to introduce account portability under its Payments Vision 2028, according to a report by Times of India. RBI’s work around this stickiness is a Payments Switching Service where all standing instructions are centralised. This interface will allow customers to view and migrate all payment mandates, both incoming and outgoing reducing dependence on individual banks making accounts portable. The central bank’s plan is to fix this through a system that allows users to shift these instructions easily, reducing their dependence on a single bank."
March 30, 2026
On the web
E-Cheques Coming Soon? RBI Unveils Payments Vision 2028, Plans Wider Oversight of Digital Players
MSN
"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday unveiled its ‘Payments Vision 2028’ document, outlining a roadmap that includes exploring electronic cheques, expanding regulatory oversight to digital platforms, and strengthening safeguards in the fast-growing payments ecosystem, PTI reported. The central bank aims to enhance access to payment data and reimagine the card payments ecosystem by promoting secure tokenisation, improved transparency in pricing, and greater choice for users and merchants."
March 26, 2026
On the web
Instant Payments Fuel Demand for Real-Time Fraud Orchestration
IBS Intelligence
"Since its launch in 2016, UPI has become the backbone of India’s retail payments ecosystem, driving transaction volumes to unprecedented levels. At the same time, regulatory expectations are evolving. The Reserve Bank of India has increasingly emphasised the need for risk-based, proactive monitoring frameworks, encouraging institutions to embed fraud prevention within broader enterprise risk governance structures. Advanced technologies are playing a central role in enabling this transition."
March 20, 2026
On the web
PhonePe Launches ‘On-The-Go’ Card for Seamless, Offline Payments for Transit
PhonePe
"PhonePe announced the launch of the PhonePe ‘RuPay On-The-Go’ Card, a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). The PhonePe ‘On-The-Go’ Card is designed to simplify the user’s daily commute by functioning as an all-in-one transit card. It allows for quick, tap-and-pay transactions on all NCMC-enabled services, including metros, buses, trains, tolls, and parking across India in a fully interoperable manner. The card utilizes a prepaid, stored-value model where balance is stored directly on the card’s chip."
March 17, 2026
On the web
UPI Payments Can Be Made Simply by Shaking Your Phone, Hassle-Free
MSN
"Now, you can make UPI payments simply by shaking your phone. To do this, open your payment app and shake it. Shaking the phone will open the QR code scanner, allowing you to make payments in no time. With so many payment apps available these days, finding a QR code scanner can sometimes be difficult. This can be time-consuming and can delay your payment. To avoid this hassle, PhonePe offers the 'Shake and Pay' option."
March 2, 2026
On the web
India Expands UPI Footprint to Israel
GlobeData
"India has further widened the international reach of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) by formally extending the system to Israel. In a joint statement, India and Israel said: “Both sides agreed to explore linking UPI with Israel’s fast payment system to enhance interoperability and strengthen economic ties.”"
February 20, 2026
On the web
Razorpay and NPCI Bring Agentic Payments to Claude at India AI Impact Summit
Entrackr
"Razorpay and the National Payments Corporation of India or NPCI have collaborated to enable shopping with AI by bringing Agentic Payments to Claude. Unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit, the platform is currently in the pilot phase with a small group of users. The offering allows users to order food, groceries, and everyday essentials from Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto without leaving the conversation."
February 17, 2026
On the web
NPCI Announces FiMI, a Domain-Specific AI Language Model Built for India’s Payments Ecosystem
NPCI
"National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) released FiMI (Finance Model for India), a domain-specific language model built for India’s payments ecosystem. Developed in-house by NPCI, FiMI has been built to natively understand the complexity of Indian payment systems, including UPI, covering transaction dispute handling, mandate lifecycle management, and regulatory and ecosystem queries."
February 6, 2026
On the web
UPI New Rules From February: Key Changes for Google Pay, PhonePe & Paytm Users
ABP Live
"New rules for the UPI are set to take effect from February 2026, bringing significant changes to transaction speed, verification standards and user protections. Regulators have focused on improving real-time processing, tightening security controls and enhancing transparency for users who rely on UPI for everyday digital payments. The updated framework aims to make digital transactions faster and safer while giving users greater control over their payment activity across popular UPI apps."
PhonePe Takes Its Diversification to Dalal Street
The Economic Times
"For most users, PhonePe remains a payments app. As the Walmart-backed fintech prepares for a public listing, its UDRHP filed last month outlines a company that is expanding beyond payments, using UPI primarily as a distribution layer rather than a revenue engine. More notably, growth is increasingly being driven by businesses that sit on top of payments: merchant services, lending, insurance distribution, and newer platform bets, rather than UPI itself."
India Weighing up to 25,000 Rupee Compensation for Digital‑Payment Frauds, RBI Governor Says
Yahoo Finance
"The Reserve Bank of India will propose a framework to compensate customers up to 25,000 rupees ($276) for losses incurred in small-value fraudulent transactions, Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said on Friday. This was among a series of steps announced by the RBI to enhance customer protection and increase digital payments safety. The draft guidelines will be issued shortly, the governor said in his monetary policy address."
January 28, 2026
Top Post
UPI To Debut In Japan As India’s Digital Payments Network Expands Global Footprint [Video]
YouTube
"India’s Unified Payments Interface, or UPI, is set to debut in Japan, marking a significant step in the global expansion of India’s flagship digital payments platform. Japanese IT services firm NTT Data has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India to enable UPI acceptance in Japan on a trial basis during fiscal 2026, initially targeting Indian tourists visiting the country."
January 21, 2026
On the web
Apple Pay Inches Closer to India, but Full Launch Still Some Distance Away
The Times of India
"Apple is in discussions with Indian regulators and banking partners to explore the introduction of Apple Pay in the country, with timelines likely extending into 2026. While speculation about an imminent launch has grown in recent weeks, people familiar with the matter caution that Apple Pay is not yet available for everyday domestic transactions in India. At present, Apple Pay’s presence in India is limited to cross border payments."
January 20, 2026
On the wires
Walmart-Backed PhonePe Gets SEBI Approval for India IPO
Reuters
"Walmart-backed Indian payments firm PhonePe has received regulatory approval for its stock market listing from the market regulator after confidentially filing for an initial public offering in September, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday."
January 19, 2026
On the web
India, China, South Africa, Other BRICS Nations to Explore Digital Currency Link to Crush Dollar
Business Insider Africa
"India has proposed that BRICS nations explore linking their official digital currencies to simplify cross-border trade and tourism payments, a move that could gradually reduce reliance on the US dollar as geopolitical tensions intensify."
Cash Payments To Be Banned At Toll Plazas From April 1? [India]
NDTV
"India's highway travel is on the cusp of a digital transformation. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is set to implement a ban on cash payments at national highway toll plazas from April 1. Commuters will be required to use either FASTag or UPI to pay tolls, aiming to reduce congestion and streamline travel."
January 2, 2026
On the web
RBI Sees Stablecoins As Threat, Pushes CBDC Vision (India)
Cointribune
"While stablecoins reach $307 billion in 2025, India adopts a radically opposite stance. The Indian central bank (RBI) rejects stablecoins and defends its own digital currency, the CBDC. According to the RBI, only CBDCs guarantee financial stability, confidence in currency, and monetary sovereignty. The institution warns of systemic risks that stablecoins could cause, especially during periods of economic stress."
December 17, 2025
On the web
Google Pay Enters RuPay-UPI Credit Card Space With Axis Bank Partnership
Storyboard18
"Popular UPI payments app Google Pay has launched a co-branded credit card in partnership with Axis Bank on the RuPay network, enabling users to link the card directly to their UPI accounts for merchant payments. A key differentiator of the card is its instant rewards mechanism, which allows users to earn cashbacks or rewards in real time and redeem them on their very next transaction."
December 9, 2025
On the web
UPI Accounts for Nearly Half of Global Instant Payments
IBS Intelligence
"The International Monetary Fund’s recognition of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as the largest retail fast-payment system globally has reinforced the country’s position as a leader in real-time digital transactions. UPI now accounts for nearly half of instant payments worldwide, underscoring the scale, interoperability, and accessibility that the platform has achieved over the past seven years."
December 3, 2025
On the web
PhonePe Integrates ChatGPT Into UPI App
Startupro News
"PhonePe announced a pioneering collaboration with OpenAI to embed ChatGPT-powered AI features directly into its UPI app ecosystem, marking a major step in integrating generative AI into India’s digital payment landscape. This partnership will enable users to access AI-driven assistance across PhonePe’s consumer and business offerings, allowing for interactions related to payments, product research, travel planning, and merchant discovery all within the app."
November 26, 2025
On the web
BHIM Launches UPI Circle Full Delegation, Allowing Senior Citizens, Young Adults to Make Payments Independently Within Set Limits
The Economic Times
"The NPCI BHIM Services Limited on Tuesday announced the introduction of UPI Circle Full Delegation on the BHIM Payments App, allowing primary users to authorise their trusted contacts to make UPI payments on their behalf of up to Rs 15,000. The move is expected to be a game-changer for senior citizens who have their own bank accounts but often hesitate from making digital payments and young adults who can manage their daily or educational expenses with safe, parent-controlled access."