Indian customers using credit, debit, and prepaid cards will be free to switch their card networks between Visa, MasterCard, RuPay, etc., and vice versa, similar to mobile network portability between Vodafone, Jio, and Airtel starting from ________.

Solution

Starting October 1, Indian customers using credit, debit, and prepaid cards will be free to switch their card networks between Visa, MasterCard, RuPay, etc., and vice versa, similar to mobile network portability between Vodafone, Jio, and Airtel.   The facility, announced in an RBI circular, aims to empower card users to select their preferred network. It challenges the current practice of agreements between issuers and networks predetermining network options. As such, when applying for a card, users had no say in choosing the network provider as the issuer decided it.  Authorised card networks in India include American Express Banking Corp., Diners Club International Ltd., MasterCard Asia/Pacific Pte. Ltd., National Payments Corporation of India's RuPay, and Visa Worldwide Pte. Ltd. However, users were not free to choose among them until now.