RBI in No Rush for Nationwide Retail CBDC Rollout
Why in the news
At Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai, RBI signalled patience on a full retail rollout of the digital rupee.
Key facts
- Pilots test user behaviour, tech reliability and cybersecurity.
- Focus: UPI interoperability, offline use, scalability, fraud prevention.
- Pilots later extended to offline, programmable and cross-border tests.
About CBDC
The CBDC is the rupee in digital form, issued by RBI as sovereign-backed legal tender.
| Type | Symbol | Users |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | e₹-R | Consumers, merchants |
| Wholesale | e₹-W | Interbank settlement |
Exam angle
- Speaker: Rabi Sankar.
- Pilot start: December 2022.