Starting July 1, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has implemented a new rule affecting how credit card bills can be paid using mobile apps. According to the mandate, all payments made through third-party apps must now be routed through the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS). Managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), BBPS ensures a standardized and secure method for bill payments across various platforms.

The move aims to streamline and enhance the payment process, ensuring consistency and reliability across banking channels. Prior to this rule, some banks and apps were not integrated with BBPS, leading to varied payment methods and potential inconvenience for users. By enforcing BBPS usage for credit card payments, the RBI seeks to simplify transactions and promote a unified payment ecosystem.

If your bank hasn't connected with BBPS yet, you can't use apps like CRED, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, and Paytm to pay bills anymore. 

What is BBPS?

The Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) in India, launched by the Reserve Bank of India in 2018, allows convenient online and agent-assisted bill payments. It supports multiple payment methods including cash, debit/credit cards, internet banking, NEFT, e-wallets, UPI, IMPS, and prepaid cards. BBPS aims to streamline bill payments for businesses and customers nationwide.

The banks currently using BBPS include SBI, Kotak Bank, IndusInd Bank, IDBI Bank, AU Small Finance Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Federal Bank, ICICI Bank, Union Bank, Punjab National Bank, and Saraswat Bank.

Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, IDFC First Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and YES Bank are currently in the process of integrating with BBPS for bill payments.