Google Pay has officially entered India’s fast-growing credit ecosystem by launching its first-ever credit card, in collaboration with Axis Bank and RuPay. This move marks a major step in Google’s fintech push in the country and comes amid rising competition in the UPI-linked credit card space.
The Google Pay-Axis Bank RuPay credit card allows users to link the card directly to their UPI accounts for merchant transactions—an advantage currently exclusive to RuPay cards. With Mastercard and Visa cards still not permitted on UPI rails, RuPay offers unmatched reach across UPI’s massive merchant ecosystem.
What Makes This Card Different
Unlike most credit cards where rewards are credited after the billing cycle, Google’s offering allows users to earn and redeem rewards instantly. Users can apply the earned rewards immediately on their next transaction—creating a seamless experience more aligned with today’s real-time payment behavior.
Additionally, cardholders get the option to convert their monthly dues into EMIs, choosing repayment terms of 6 or 9 months. Google said this flexibility was developed after studying Indian users’ strong preference for simple, transparent credit experiences.
The launch comes at a time when the market is seeing aggressive credit card expansion from other digital players like PhonePe, Paytm, and Cred. However, Google is betting not just on scale, but on usability like integrating rewards, repayment flexibility, and UPI-access in one package.
The card offers up to 5–10% cashback on select partner platforms and 1–1.5% cashback on general transactions, including UPI scan-and-pay. Users can also enjoy EMI conversion on large purchases directly from the Google Pay interface.
Bigger Play for Financial Access
With only 20% of India’s population having access to formal credit, Google sees this co-branded card as a gateway to financial inclusion. Sharath Bulusu, Senior Director at Google Pay, noted that solving for responsible credit access remains a key opportunity for fintech growth in India.
News Desk
