Digital Technology

India’s digital payments revolution has entered a new phase, with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) now accounting for nearly 92 percent of lending transactions across peer-to-peer platforms. A recent industry report highlights a structural shift in how credit is disbursed and managed, driven by seamless payment infrastructure and evolving investor behavior. Notably, female participants are deploying significantly higher capital than their male counterparts, signaling changing demographics in digital finance.

India’s digital payments ecosystem continues to evolve with enhanced security and user convenience at its core. Fintech platform CRED has introduced biometric authentication for UPI transactions up to Rs 5,000, enabling users to approve payments through facial recognition or fingerprint verification. Developed in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the feature aims to streamline payment processes while strengthening fraud prevention measures.

One 97 Communications, the operator of Paytm, is expected to consolidate its leadership in India’s merchant payments ecosystem, according to recent brokerage assessments. With a rapidly expanding base of 45 million merchants, the platform is leveraging integrated offerings such as payments, lending, and subscription-based devices to accelerate growth. Analysts project a strong revenue trajectory with a 22 percent CAGR between FY26 and FY28, alongside improving profitability metrics.

BharatPe has appointed Himanshu Verma as the Head of its Point-of-Sale (POS) business, signaling a renewed strategic focus on expanding its offline payments ecosystem. With over two decades of experience in digital payments, merchant acquisition, and distribution strategy, Verma is expected to drive adoption among small and medium enterprises while enhancing BharatPe’s market penetration. The move comes at a time when India’s fintech landscape is witnessing rapid growth in digital transactions beyond urban centers.

State-owned Bank of Baroda has introduced an innovative credit facility on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), enabling members of women self-help groups (SHGs) to access instant overdrafts digitally. Linked to Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana accounts, the initiative allows eligible customers to avail up to Rs 5,000 without visiting a bank branch and use the credit seamlessly for merchant payments.