Visa launches EMI platform for debit cards

Mumbai: Visa, the world’s largest payments network, has introduced a platform that will enable any bank to offer EMI facility to their debit cardholders for online purchases on most e-commerce sites.

According to Arvind Ronta, Visa’s head of product for India and South Asia, as against 4.5 crore credit cards, there are 93 crore debit cards in the country. “There are over 2 crore unique credit cardholders, while it is estimated that around 22 crore debit cardholders are eligible for credit facilities. This increases the number of creditworthy individuals by a factor of 10,” said Ronta.

Although both banks and e-commerce sites have been offering EMI facility for debit card purchases, these are based on one-to-one tie-ups between the banks and merchants. By putting a platform in between, Visa enables any bank that signs up for the service to access all the merchants that are on board.