India's HDFC Bank Launches New UPI and CBDC Features

HDFC Bank, a leading private sector bank in India, has introduced new features for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and central bank digital currency (CBDC) to enhance digital banking for its customers. Announced at the Global Fintech Fest 2024 in Mumbai, India, these innovations, developed in partnership with fintech companies like Kreditpe, Tonetag, and Payu, aim to improve convenience, security, and accessibility in digital transactions. The new offerings include UPI Circle-Delegate Payment, personalized UPI experiences, and user-level programmable CBDC. Parag Rao, Group Head at HDFC Bank, emphasized that these advancements reflect the bank’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions. The bank’s strategy has long involved collaborations with fintech partners such as Mintoak, Zeta, Razorpay, Pinelabs, and Juspay, leading to the development of tailored solutions like Smarthub Vyapar and Payzapp to cater to diverse customer needs across India.