NPCI has increased the per-transaction and 24-hour aggregate UPI limits for specific categories, effective September 15, 2025. Capital markets, insurance, and government e-Market Place transactions now have a Rs 5 lakh per-transaction limit and a Rs 10 lakh daily limit. Credit card payments and collections will also see increased limits, enhancing convenience for high-value transactions with verified merchants.
SBI Card will automatically migrate existing Credit Card Protection Plan (CPP) customers to updated plan variants upon policy renewal starting September 16, 2025. Customers will receive notifications via SMS and email 24 hours before the renewal. The updated CPP offers benefits like card blocking, emergency travel assistance, fraud protection, and mobile wallet protection, with Classic, Premium, and Platinum options available.
SBI credit card rule change: Starting December 1, 2024, SBI has done away with reward points on various digital gaming platforms for some of its credit cards. Some of these cards include Gold Defense SBI Card, SBI Card Platinum and Prime. Effective this month, SBI will levy a fee on all utility payments that go beyond a certain limit in a single billing cycle. Read on to know about SBI credit cards that have been affected, and the fee charged.
With the rewards boost, banks are hoping not just to keep their high net-worth individuals (HNIs) and mass affluent customers happy and engaged, but also to make a neat profit on them, given that their portals have a slightly higher fare compared to booking directly with the airline or hotels.
Suraj Kumar Talreja, a Pune-based techie, cleverly utilized his HDFC BizBlack and Infinia credit cards to accumulate Rs 2 lakh worth of reward points in a year. His strategy involved maximizing points on tax and utility payments with the BizBlack card and leveraging SmartBuy and GYFTR vouchers with the Infinia card for purchases like Myntra and Pharmeasy vouchers.
ICICI Bank is planning to charge payment aggregators (PAs) for processing UPI transactions, a move confirmed by sources but unacknowledged by the bank. This could lead to increased costs for PAs, potentially trickling down to consumers in the future. For PAs with an escrow account with the bank, the charges will be significantly less as compared to those who do not operate this account with ICICI. Read on to know when, and if, these charges will trickle down to the consumer.
ICICI Bank, Times Internet, and Visa launch the Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card. It targets ultra-high net worth individuals. Cardholders enjoy unlimited lounge access and lifestyle services. The card offers milestone rewards and points on spending. There is a joining and annual fee. Spending over twenty-five lakh rupees waives the annual fee.
Chrometophobia is an extreme case of fear, anxiety and panic at the thought of spending money. A small fraction of people suffers from this irrational affliction. It is not a very well-understood or diagnosed condition, but in some milder formats, it does exist around us. Some of us are able, but not willing to spend.
The concept is simple: if you book your stay at a hotel directly via one of its channels, such as its website, at its reception or by phone, the hotel saves on the commission it has to pay to the travel agent, which can be in double digits. That allows it to channel some of that money into the loyalty programme that gets you perks from the hotel chain.
Kotak Mahindra Bank introduces 'Kotak Solitaire,' an exclusive, invitation-only banking program tailored for India's high-net-worth individuals and families. This premium experience offers pre-approved credit lines up to Rs 8 crore, family-centric banking, and personalized support.
PayPal is launching PayPal World, a platform to integrate global payment systems, including India's UPI. This collaboration with NPCI International will enable Indian UPI users to make P2P transactions with PayPal users worldwide. This means that soon, UPI users can shop online and potentially even in physical stores globally where PayPal is accepted, simplifying cross-border payments and reducing currency conversion fees.
Before travelling abroad, Indians face a complex choice, whether to opt for a forex card or a credit card. Debit cards are generally ruled out due to immediate fund deductions. Forex cards allow preloading of foreign currency, while credit cards offer rewards. Some credit cards offer low or even zero foreign exchange markups. But the decision is not that straightforward,. Consider factors such as TCS, rewards accumulated etc., before taking a call
UPI RuPay credit cards provide a way to earn rewards. Several banks offer these cards with UPI convenience. Users can get cashback and reward points on payments. ET Wealth lists 20 UPI RuPay credit cards. These cards offer benefits like lounge access. Linking the card to UPI apps is simple. Enjoy rewards with everyday UPI payments.
The UAE government has denied rolling out a new golden visa policy, wherein Indians could get a lifetime visa to the UAE by paying a one-time fee of Rs 23.3 lakh. However, even if the news was true, an X user highlighted that Dubai's high cost of living, potentially reaching around Rs 5 lakh monthly for a family, would make it potentially financially unsustainable in the long run.
Several banks, including SBI, HDFC Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, are updating their credit card rules starting in July 2025. SBI is discontinuing free air accident insurance on select cards, while HDFC Bank introduces new transaction fees and reward point limits. Kotak Mahindra Bank will replace the Myntra Kotak Credit Card with the Kotak League Credit Card.
The e-rupee—India’s central bank digital currency (CBDC)—is issued in the same denominations as coins and bank notes. Users may transact with it through a digital wallet offered by participating banks and stored on mobile phones or similar devices. Unlike savings bank account balance, the e-rupee does not earn any interest income.
SBI Card is set to implement significant changes for its credit cardholders starting July 15, 2025. These revisions include adjustments to the minimum amount due calculation and the order of payment settlement. Furthermore, complimentary air accident insurance coverage on several SBI and co-branded credit cards will be discontinued in July and August 2025.
The argument that parents sacrificed a lot in early years and it is now payback time fails to see that the child is now a parent too. At the same time, the thinking that parents must expect nothing from children is discounted as being too Western in cultural orientation, while also excluding children who genuinely like to spend on their parents.
HDFC Bank revises its airport lounge access policy for credit card users. New rules take effect from June 10, 2025. Access shifts to a voucher system based on spending.
Frequent flyers can unlock significant value with the right airline credit card. Options from Axis, SBI, ICICI, Kotak, and Standard Chartered offer benefits like free flights and lounge access. Cards such as Axis Bank ATLAS and Air India SBI Signature provide generous rewards and welcome bonuses.
A lot more needs to be done to educate borrowers on the finer aspects of credit behaviour. Often, the borrowers don’t understand the impact of missing even one or two payments, says Bhavesh Jain, MD & CEO of TransUnion CIBIL.
In June 2025, major banks like HDFC, Axis, Kotak Mahindra, and American Express are revising credit card terms. These changes impact airport lounge access, cashback, fuel rewards, and fee waivers.
HDFC Bank is set to implement changes to its credit card fee structure and rewards program starting July 1, 2025. New charges will apply to rent payments, online gaming, and wallet loading, while reward point accrual for insurance transactions will be capped based on the card type.
Many Indians prioritize airport lounge access when choosing credit cards. However, only some premium cards extend this perk to add-on members and guests. This often comes with high annual fees, like the Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card, which offers unlimited lounge access for add-on cardholders and guests of the primary cardholder as well.
Starting August 1, 2025, NPCI is regulating UPI API usage, limiting balance inquiries to 50 per app daily and restricting autopay mandates to only take place during non-peak hours. Banks must start sending balance updates with transaction notifications, and transaction status checks will be staggered throughout the day. Read on to know how this will impact your UPI transactions.
If, instead of foreign holidays, you prefer to travel within India, here’s a series to help you plan the best vacations in each of the 28 states and 8 Union Territories. We highlight tourist attractions, culinary choices, modes of travel, and the costs involved. In the 30th part of the series, Riju Mehta takes you to New Delhi.
Airlines frequently enter into partnerships with other airlines, because one carrier cannot usually bring people around the globe. These collaborations typically extend to frequent-flyer programmes, allowing passengers to credit miles for their entire journey to the airline of their choice—based on preference or loyalty.
As Indians drop Turkey and Azerbaijan from their holiday plans, we bring you five affordable and culturally rich alternatives across Europe and Asia. By Yasmin Hussain.
HSBC India has introduced the HSBC Rewards Marketplace on May 14, 2025, an upgraded digital platform for credit cardholders to redeem reward points. The marketplace offers over 20,000 reward options, including instant redemptions and partnerships with airlines and hotel chains. Cardholders can easily track and redeem points through the HSBC Mobile Banking App for vouchers, merchandise, airmiles, and more.
Kotak Mahindra Bank is set to revise its credit card charges starting June 1, 2025. The changes include fees for standing instruction failures, dynamic currency conversion, and specific spending categories like utility, education, wallet loading, online gaming, and fuel. A new method for calculating the Minimum Amount Due will also be implemented, impacting how cardholders manage their payments.
However, taking a long-term view, a credit card could be a useful tool. Essentially an unsecured personal loan, a credit card, if used wisely, can offer valuable benefits without compromising financial discipline.
More travellers are now taking shorter, more frequent holidays, often with families or friends. Budgets haven’t necessarily increased, but expectations have. People want more from their holidays—more depth, more variety, more flexibility—and they’re making smarter choices to get it.
Credit card or forex card, DIY or package? Here are some ways in which you can save on flights, stay, commutes and sightseeing while travelling abroad.
HDFC Bank is revising its lounge access policy for Tata Neu Infinity and Plus credit cardholders, effective June 10, 2025. Domestic lounge access will now be milestone-based, requiring a spend of Rs 50,000 per quarter to earn vouchers.
Akshaya Tritiya 2025: Selecting your favourite gold jewellery is easy. However, not many people are aware of how the jeweller makes the final calculations of your favourite gold jewellery piece. Read on to learn how calculations are made and the factors that affect the final bill for gold jewellery when purchasing gold this Akshaya Tritiya.
On the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, many online platforms like JioFinance and Amazon Pay are offering attractive deals on digital gold purchases, including cashback and free gold. Users can also benefit from credit card rewards programs from HDFC and ICICI to further enhance savings on gold purchases through platforms like Myntra and Amazon. Read on to know how you can make the best of these deals
Gold jewellery prices on Akshaya Tritiya 2025: Are you planning to buy gold jewellery on Akshaya Tritiya tomorrow and want to know the latest 22KT price of gold with reputed jewellers? Here is the rundown of the latest prices of 22KT gold from the repeated jewellers where you can buy gold jewellery.
New UPI rules: Soon, UPI payments will only display the beneficiary's verified bank name before transactions, as mandated by NPCI. This aims to curb fraud by eliminating misleading display names, which are currently being exploited by scammers. Read on to know how this move could potentially bring down UPI-related frauds.
