Core Insights - Adaptability is identified as a key competitive advantage in the payments industry, emphasizing the need for companies to be flexible in response to rapid changes [1][5] Industry Trends - The pandemic accelerated the shift towards digital and contactless payment methods, making speed and convenience essential expectations for consumers [3] - Global digital wallet transaction value reached $10 trillion in 2024, a significant increase from $3.9 trillion in 2020, driven by the dominance of mobile payments and Gen Z adoption [7] - AI-driven tools for fraud prevention, such as tokenization and multi-factor authentication (MFA), have reduced eCommerce fraud by up to 30%, with real-time detection processing over a billion transactions daily [7] - Embedded payments are projected to hit $6.5 trillion in volume by 2025, while open banking adoption is growing, albeit slowly in the U.S. due to regulatory challenges [7] - Cash usage has declined sharply in mature markets, yet it remains resilient globally, indicating diverse consumer preferences for payment methods [7] Merchant Needs - Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly seeking seamless financial management solutions, expecting immediate access to funds and a consolidated view of their performance [7] Payment Innovations - The anticipated rise of real-time payments has been validated, with UPI in India and Pix in Brazil leading the way, although the U.S. has not scaled as expected [7] - The rapid adoption of AI, particularly following the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, has shifted consumer behavior towards seeking advice from AI rather than traditional search engines [7]

Core Points - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a total of nine bank holidays for February 2026, applicable to all public and private banks across India, including the State Bank of India [1] - The holidays include weekends, specifically the second Saturday, fourth Saturday, and all Sundays [1] - Banks will remain open on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month unless a specific public or regional holiday is declared [2] Holiday Schedule - February 1: Sunday - Pan India holiday for Sunday weekend [7] - February 8: Sunday - Pan India holiday for Sunday weekend [7] - February 14: Saturday - Pan India holiday for second Saturday [7] - February 15: Sunday - Pan India holiday for Sunday weekend [7] - February 18: Wednesday - Bank holiday in Gangtok, Sikkim for Losar [7] - February 19: Thursday - Bank holiday in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Belapur for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti [7] - February 20: Friday - Bank holiday in Aizawl and Imphal for State Day celebrations [7] - February 22: Sunday - Pan India holiday for Sunday weekend [7] - February 28: Saturday - Pan India holiday for fourth Saturday [7] Banking Operations - Online and mobile banking services will remain operational during national holidays unless otherwise notified [4] - ATMs will be available for cash withdrawals, and app and UPI services will function as usual [4] - The RBI's annual holiday calendar is established under the Negotiable Instruments Act, affecting transactions involving cheques and promissory notes during listed holidays [5]

The strike has been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine unions representing bank officers and employees, after conciliation meetings with the chief labour commissioner on January 22 and 23 failed to yield any assurance on their demand, union leaders said.With banks already closed on January 23 (Basant Panchami), January 24 (fourth Saturday), January 25 (Sunday) and January 26 (Republic Day), the strike on January 27 is expected to disrupt branch-level services for five ...

Core Viewpoint - A nationwide bank strike in India, led by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), is expected to disrupt operations of public sector banks on January 27, following a series of bank holidays, impacting customer services significantly [1][2][3]. Group 1: Impact on Banking Operations - Public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB), will likely experience closures and service disruptions due to the strike [1][9]. - Services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances, and administrative work at branches of public sector banks are expected to be significantly affected [6][9]. - Digital banking services, including UPI and internet banking, will remain operational despite the strike, ensuring some continuity for customers [6][9]. Group 2: Reasons for the Strike - The strike is primarily driven by employee unions' demands for the implementation of a five-day work week and the declaration of all Saturdays as holidays [7][8]. - A conciliation meeting held on January 23 with the chief labour commissioner did not yield a positive outcome, prompting the unions to proceed with the strike [7]. Group 3: Affected and Unaffected Banks - Private sector banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank, and Axis Bank are expected to operate normally, as their employees are not part of the unions participating in the strike [5].

The strike, called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU)—an umbrella body of nine unions representing bank officers and employees—comes after a conciliation meeting with the chief labour commissioner on January 23 failed to yield an assurance on their demand.With banks already closed on January 25 (Sunday) and January 26 (Republic Day), the strike on January 27 is expected to disrupt branch-level services for three consecutive days.“Despite detailed discussions during the conciliation proceedings, there ...

The strike call by the UFBU, an umbrella body of nine unions representing officers and employees, comes after a conciliation meeting on January 23 with the chief labour commissioner failed to yield a positive outcome. With banks remaining closed on January 25 (Sun) and January 26 (Republic Day), the strike on Tuesday will result in a disruption of branch-level services for three consecutive days. "Despite detailed discussions during the conciliation proceedings, there was no assurance on our demand. Hence, ...

Group 1 - All banks in India, including major public and private lenders, will be closed on Monday, 26 January, due to Republic Day celebrations, as per the RBI bank holiday calendar [1][3] - Republic Day marks the 77th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950, celebrated with a grand ceremonial parade in New Delhi [2] - January has around 10 RBI-declared bank holidays, with most already passed, and the upcoming Republic Day creates a long weekend for banks, closing them for three consecutive days [3] Group 2 - The next official bank holiday will be on 18 February, but a potential nationwide strike by bank employees on 27 January could disrupt banking operations [4] - Public sector banks have already informed customers about possible disruptions in services if the strike occurs [5] - Digital banking services, including mobile apps and online banking, remain available during bank holidays for urgent transactions, and ATM services are operational 24/7 [6][7]

Group 1 - Banks in Odisha, Tripura, and West Bengal are closed today for multiple occasions including Saraswati Puja, Basanta Panchami, Vir Surendrasai Jayanti, and the Birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose [1] - This closure contributes to a long weekend from Friday to Sunday, as January 24 is the second Saturday and January 25 is a Sunday [1] - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a total of 16 bank holidays in January 2026, including weekends, affecting both public and private banks [3] Group 2 - Bank holidays may vary across states due to regional requirements, and customers are advised to check with their local bank branches for specific holiday schedules [2] - Online and mobile banking services remain available during national holidays unless otherwise notified, and ATMs are operational for cash withdrawals [5] - The RBI's annual holiday calendar is established under the Negotiable Instruments Act, which impacts transactions involving cheques and promissory notes during listed holidays [5]

智通财经APP获悉，印度数字支付领域主导者PhonePe Ltd.的两大重要支持者——即美国零售巨头沃尔 玛公司(WMT.US)以及华尔街投资巨头老虎环球管理公司(Tiger Global Management)，将在PhonePe这宗 预计将成为印度股票市场自去年10月以来规模最大的首次公开募股(IPO)中出售它们所持有的PhonePe股 份。 总部位于班加罗尔的PhonePe根据向印度市场监管机构提交的一份更新版本招股说明书草案，该公司计 划发行5,070万股股票，且全部由现有的大股东进行股票出售，不新增股票资本。此前有知情人士曾表 示，这家印度公司在IPO中最多可能募集15亿美元，对应整体的估值约150亿美元。 沃尔玛旗下的Promoter WM Digital Commerce Holdings，计划出售多达4590万股股票，与此同时，老虎 环球和微软全球金融也计划利用此次大规模IPO出售所持有的股票。 PhonePe是何方神圣? PhonePe由Sameer Nigam、Rahul Chari和Burzin Engineer于2015年创立，在印度极度拥挤的数字支付市场 中与其他势力激烈竞争并且最终 ...

Core Insights - MobiKwik has launched Forex payments on its mobile app in partnership with NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited, marking a significant step in providing digital foreign exchange services in India [1][3][6] - The initiative aims to support the Government and RBI's vision of a fully digital and inclusive financial ecosystem, making foreign exchange transactions more transparent and accessible [3][4][6] - MobiKwik's platform currently supports USD transactions, with plans to expand to additional currencies in future phases [5][10] Group 1: Product Launch and Features - The Forex category on Bharat Connect allows users to top up forex cards instantly using net banking or UPI, with same-day fulfillment [3][6] - The service is designed to cater to various user needs, including students paying for education abroad, families traveling internationally, and small businesses sending funds overseas [4][6] - MobiKwik emphasizes a digital-first experience, offering competitive USD rates and a safe, compliant platform regulated by RBI and NBBL [9][10] Group 2: Company Background and Market Position - MobiKwik, founded in 2009, is India's largest digital wallet, serving over 183.5 million registered users and 4.71 million merchants [8][10] - The company holds a 19% market share of the PPI wallet gross transaction value (GTV) as of September 2025, positioning it as a leading player in the digital financial services sector [10]