New Umbrella Entity: Ushering Payment Revolution
BANKING FINANCE|June 2022
India has been on the cusp of a technological revolution driven by fintech companies.
Uday Kumar Khazane
New Umbrella Entity: Ushering Payment Revolution

The last decade has seen tremendous growth in the retail payment segment in our country and the definitive push from the government of India like demonetization and GST implementation has propelled this segment to the next orbit. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital payments in India, especially retail digital payments. In the past year, retail digital payments have seen huge growth as more people gravitated towards digital modes of transaction owing to fear of contracting the virus and convenience.

Transactions through National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC), and the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) registered acceleration over the previous year. Other retail payment platforms such as Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), and National Automated Clearing House (NACH) saw a near doubling of both transaction volume from 12.5 billion to 22.3 billion, and value from Rs 21.3 trillion to Rs 41 trillion between FY2020 and 2021. The entire retail payment architecture in India is dominated by state-owned NPCI via its UPI system.

The recent approval of new umbrella entities (NUE) licensing by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will lead to increased private participation in the Indian digital payments space. To further develop digital payment infrastructure and increase competition RBI introduced a framework for the entry of private players for retail payments in August 2020. The framework enables private companies to apply for NUE licenses and create a retail payment system against UPI. Unlike NPCI, which is a non-profit entity, NUE will be for-profit, enabling entities to charge fees for online transactions.

This has attracted big Indian business houses like Reliance and Tata, as well as global giants like Amazon, Facebook, and Google. Technology giants Facebook Inc., Amazon.com

This story is from the June 2022 edition of BANKING FINANCE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2022 edition of BANKING FINANCE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BANKING FINANCEView All
Insolvency's Group Tangle
BANKING FINANCE

Insolvency's Group Tangle

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has been around for nearly seven years, and in these seven years, it has been amended six times. However, it is yet to address a significant concern: group insolvencies.

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2024
Why mot retirees don't find refuge in reverse mortgage
BANKING FINANCE

Why mot retirees don't find refuge in reverse mortgage

It would be the deal of the century, or so Andre-Francois Raffray could have thought. The Frenchman had in December 1965 stuck a deal with 90-year-old Jeanne Calment to pay her 2,500 francs every month until she died.

time-read
5 mins  |
February 2024
The rise and rise of mutual funds
BANKING FINANCE

The rise and rise of mutual funds

It is curious that the cake cutting and champagne popping that accompanied the Nifty's new lifetime high in recent weeks, was not in evidence when the mutual fund industry topped Rs. 50 lakh crore in assets.

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2024
UNSECURED RETAIL LENDING IN INDIA + CAPTURING EMERGING TRENDS
BANKING FINANCE

UNSECURED RETAIL LENDING IN INDIA + CAPTURING EMERGING TRENDS

Abstract: In recent times, RBI has been vocal about the high growth rate of unsecured retail credit in India as compared to the overall credit growth in the country. The RBI has termed the unsecured retail credit an outlier segment\" as far as its growth rate is concerned and has drawn the attention of banks and NBFCs in this regard. As part of regulatory intervention, RBI has also increased the risk weights associated with unsecured credit exposure of banks and NBFCs. Post this development, the banking fraternity has been divided in their understanding of the ground realities. On one hand, there is a school of thought which feels that the recent surges in the unsecured retail lending in India is backed by solid macros. Whereas, others feel that the more than expected upsurge is a sign of incipient stress and might pose systemic risk, if not dealt with an iron hand.

time-read
10 mins  |
February 2024
TRANSFORMING BANKING THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
BANKING FINANCE

TRANSFORMING BANKING THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The transformation of banking through artificial intelligence (AI) has been a significant and ongoing trend, with numerous implications for customer experience, operational efficiency, risk management, and more.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
NEED FOR CORRUPTION FREE BANKING IN INDIA
BANKING FINANCE

NEED FOR CORRUPTION FREE BANKING IN INDIA

Introduction: Corruption is dishonest behaviour or abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It starts with the tendency of using public office for some personal benefit, implies the failure of ethics and erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development, undermines democratic institutions slows economic development, contributes to governmental instability and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis. Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all civilisations and attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the \"start-up costs\" required because of corruption.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2024
FROM RUPEE TO DIGITAL CURRENCY: UPI AND CBDC IN INDIA
BANKING FINANCE

FROM RUPEE TO DIGITAL CURRENCY: UPI AND CBDC IN INDIA

India's remarkable digital transformation has been driven by innovative financial technologies and a vision for an inclusive, cashless economy. Two significant milestones in this journey are the Unified Payments

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2024
EMPOWERING THE DIGITAL JOURNEY: THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF STRAIGHT-THROUGH PROCESSING (STP) IN BANKING
BANKING FINANCE

EMPOWERING THE DIGITAL JOURNEY: THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF STRAIGHT-THROUGH PROCESSING (STP) IN BANKING

In the ever-evolving landscape of banking and financial services, the digital revolution is reshaping industries and redefining customer expectations. As banks embark on their digital journeys to meet these changing demands, the implementation of Straight-Through Processing (STP) has emerged as a cornerstone strategy for success. STP not only streamlines internal operations but also plays a pivotal role in enhancing customer experiences, reducing costs, and fortifying the foundation for a seamless digital future.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2024
'DIGITAL BANK' - LICENSING AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN INDIA AND WAY FORWARD
BANKING FINANCE

'DIGITAL BANK' - LICENSING AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN INDIA AND WAY FORWARD

Last 6 to 8 years have seen rapid development in 'Digital bank' across the world, and China is no exception. Digital banks have an entirely branchless digital service and the need for physical branches is replaced by non-stop, 24/7 customer service and automated systems.

time-read
8 mins  |
February 2024
CONCENTRATION: THE NAUGHTY MONKEY
BANKING FINANCE

CONCENTRATION: THE NAUGHTY MONKEY

Maintaining mental focus can be quite challenging, especially with the constant distractions we encounter on a daily basis. In today's interconnected world, it is incredibly easy to get sidetracked by notifications from social media or the latest news updates. However, having strong mental focus is vital for achieving success. The ability to concentrate on a task at hand is essential for learning, accomplishing goals, and performing well in various situations.

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2024