tl;dr
The article discusses the potential broader adoption of India's blockchain-based digital rupee, the e-rupee, in 2025. It highlights the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) plans to integrate the e-rupee with existing digital payment systems, offer user education on central bank digital currency (CBDC), an...
E-RUPEE SET FOR BROADER ADOPTION AS CLOUD FACILITY GATHERS STEAM
India’s blockchain-based digital rupee will likely witness more cross-border transactions in 2025 while exploring programmable money use cases. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may also integrate the e-rupee with existing digital payment systems to drive adoption.
Acknowledging user education as key, RBI will offer in-person training on central bank digital currency (CBDC) in India’s capital, New Delhi, from February 3–7, 2025.
In November 2024, former RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that while the central bank is experimenting with new CBDC use cases, it has not set any target date for the full-fledged launch of the e-rupee.
Efforts to integrate the e-rupee with existing digital payment systems will be pivotal. The government is expected to finalize a regulatory framework for CBDCs.
“In 2025, we can expect the RBI to refine its approach based on pilot feedback, potentially leading to broader implementation strategies that could enhance financial inclusion and streamline payment processes,” said Sharat Chandra, founder of EmpowerEdge Ventures and a startup enabler.
India is likely to continue experimenting with new use cases for the e-rupee, including programmed CBDC loans and its potential for cross-border projects.
In 2025, the central bank will reportedly roll out a pilot program providing financial firms with affordable local cloud data storage options. The cloud service will be designed to meet the needs of smaller banking and financial services firms.
RBI announced the introduction of a dedicated cloud facility for the financial sector in response to rising cybercrime and to strengthen data security. The new cloud infrastructure is expected to be designed to improve privacy, scalability, and business continuity.