India’s digital payments story has always been built on speed. The RBI’s latest proposal suggests the next chapter will be built on safety. It has proposed a one-hour cooling-off period for certain account-to-account transfers above ₹10,000. It has also proposed a “trusted person” authentication layer for transactions above ₹50,000 involving senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Together, the measures show a clear shift in approach. The goal is not to slow the system down, but to make it safer where the risks are greatest.
The case for that shift is hard to ignore. Reported digital-payment frauds rose to roughly 2.8 million cases in 2025. Losses were estimated at around ₹22,931 crore to ₹23,000 crore. More strikingly, transactions above ₹10,000 made up about 45% of fraud cases by volume, but nearly 98.5% of fraud value. That makes the RBI’s approach easier to understand. This is not broad-based friction. It is a focused response to the part of the system where financial harm is most severe.
The proposal is also notable for what it says about the future of digital finance. The trusted-person authentication measure brings vulnerable users into sharper focus. It points to a shift away from one-size-fits-all security and toward more context-aware protection. For banks, fintechs and digital platforms, that is the bigger story. The next phase of digital payments will not be defined by speed alone. It will be shaped by trust, safety and inclusion.
If this aligns with your editorial interests, we would be happy to facilitate a conversation with Amit Das, Founder & CEO at Think360.ai on what the RBI proposal signals for the future of fraud prevention, digital trust, customer protection and inclusive payments design in India
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