Overview

• At the Digital Payments Awards 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said rural India offers fintech firms a rich business opportunity beyond social responsibility, driven by a revival in consumer demand.
• She warned of growing threats like deepfakes and cyberfrauds and called on startups to innovate robust cybersecurity solutions to protect users.
• The government pledged continued support through measures such as the ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme for small-ticket BHIM-UPI transactions and the expansion of account aggregator frameworks.
• India’s UPI ecosystem processed 18,587 crore transactions in FY 2024-25, adoption rates climbed to 87%, and international merchant payments via UPI now operate in seven countries.
• Industry estimates foresee the fintech sector growing to over $400 billion by 2028-29, with Indian innovations poised to become exportable global public goods.