India’s Approach to Open Banking: Some Implications for Financial Inclusion

By Yan Carriere-Swallow, V. Haksar, Manasa Patnam

February 26, 2021

Preview Citation

Format: Chicago

Yan Carriere-Swallow, V. Haksar, and Manasa Patnam. India’s Approach to Open Banking: Some Implications for Financial Inclusion, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2021) accessed December 21, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

We examine how the development of the digital infrastructure known as the “India Stack”—including an interoperable payments system, a universal digital ID, and other features—is delivering on the government’s objective to expand the provision of financial services. While each individual component of the India Stack is important, we argue that its key overarching feature is a foundational approach of providing extensive public infrastructures and standards that generates important synergies across the layers of the Stack. Until recently, a large share of India’s population lacked access to formal banking services and was largely reliant on cash for financial transactions. The expansion of mobile-based financial services that enable simple and convenient ways to save and conduct financial transactions has provided a novel alternative for expanding the financial net. The Stack’s improved digital infrastructures have already allowed for a rapid increase in the use of digital payments and the entry of a range of competitors including fintech and bigtech firms.

Subject: Financial services, Fintech, Fiscal accounting and reporting, Mobile banking, Payment systems

Keywords: Consumer spending, Credit information companies, Data sharing, Digital payments, Digitalization, Financial inclusion., Open banking, Payments bank, Payments landscape, Telecom data, Transaction costs, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

27
Volume:

---
DOI:

---
Issue:

---
Series:

Working Paper No. 2021/052
Stock No:

WPIEA2021052
ISBN:

9781513570686
ISSN:

1018-5941

FACTSHEETS

RESOURCES

TOPICS

Flagship Publications

Other Publications

IMF reports and publications by country

Regional Offices

All News

See Also

For Journalists

Press Center

RESOURCES

FLAGSHIPS

KEY SERIES

IMF NOTES

IMF Working Papers