RuPay is a card payment network created by NPCI for India. Banks issue RuPay-branded debit, credit and prepaid cards, and the network routes and settles those transactions. The name blends "rupee" and "payment".
Why it matters
India's card market was long dominated by international networks. RuPay offers a domestic alternative with its own switching and settlement, which can mean domestic transactions are processed within the country. It is also used for government schemes' bank accounts and can be linked to UPI for payments. Through partnerships with global networks, some RuPay cards work abroad, though acceptance there is narrower than the international brands. Fee and incentive structures for merchants have been shaped by regulation and have changed over time.
Example
A shopper taps a RuPay debit card at a point-of-sale terminal. The acquirer sends the authorisation request to the RuPay network, which forwards it to the issuing bank. The issuer approves, and the terminal prints a receipt. At month end, funds are settled to the merchant under the usual card flow.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a RuPay card is accepted everywhere a Visa or Mastercard is.
- Forgetting that a payment gateway must support RuPay explicitly.
- Confusing RuPay (a card network) with UPI (an account-to-account system).
Rules vary by country; this entry is a definition only.
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