Euronet, India's leading value added services and payment services company, has received an in-principle approval from RBI to operate as an operating unit under Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an integrated bill payment system which offers interoperable bill payment services to customers, both online as well as through a network of physical agents. The system provides multiple payment modes and instant confirmation of payment.
All existing and proposed entities (both bank and non-bank entities) falling within the scope of BBPS, which include all bill aggregation and/or bill payment services, will have to participate in the system either as a Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) or as an entity connected through a BBPOU. 'In-principle' approvals to operate as BBPOU are conveyed to the applicants that meet all the eligibility requirements, including existing net worth and requisite billing experience as covered under the present scope of Bharat Bill Payment System. Bill payments is a growing business category in India and BBPS is a key step towards the goal of achieving Digital India, an important campaign launched by the Government of India to ensure the country is more digitally empowered.
Himanshu Pujara, Regional Managing Director, Euronet, India and South Asia said "The Reserve Bank of India received 62 applications for authorisation from non-bank entities and 80 requests for approval from banks to operate as a BBPOU. Under the in-principle approval from RBI, Euronet is named a BBPOU." Himanshu added, "Bill payments across categories is a big business for Euronet both in India and globally. We are excited to be part of this unique eco-system, being created by NPCI and leverage our global payments processing and operations experience primarily around reconciliation and customer dispute management and work with billers across categories and contribute meaningfully to this program."
Euronet has the largest mobile pre-payment network in the world and works closely with over 200 mobile operators. Euronet has been providing digital bill payment services in India for more than a decade and is integrated with all mobile and DTH operators. Additionally, Euronet India has expanded its products and services portfolio from mobile and DTH to facilitation of digital gift vouchers and other differentiated content of key online domestic and overseas merchants.
Being part of Bharat Bill Payment System eco-system; Euronet will have the best advantage of channel and services augmentation in order to emerge as leading contributor to Reserve Bank of India's vision of having a national bill payment system which will offer bill payment services for recurring payments including utilities (electricity, water, gas), telephone and mobile (pre-paid and post-paid bill payments), DTH, Insurance, education fee payment as well as many other payments.
Euronet Worldwide is an industry leader in processing secure electronic financial transactions. The Company offers payment and transaction processing solutions to financial institutions, retailers, service providers and individual consumers. These services include comprehensive ATM, POS and card outsourcing services, card issuing and merchant acquiring services, software solutions, cash-based and online-initiated consumer-to-consumer and business-to-business money transfer services, and electronic distribution of prepaid mobile phone time and other prepaid products.
Euronet's global payment network is extensive - including 24,761 ATMs, approximately 129,000 EFT POS terminals and a growing portfolio of outsourced debit and credit card services which are under management in 50 countries; card software solutions; a prepaid processing network of approximately 658,000 POS terminals at approximately 301,000 retailer locations in 34 countries; and a global money transfer network of approximately 310,000 locations serving 150 countries. With corporate headquarters in Leawood, Kansas, USA, and 58 worldwide offices, Euronet serves clients in approximately 165 countries.
