Digital payments and credit cards in India are evolving faster than ever. From UPI feature upgrades to new credit card offers and charges, there’s a lot happening. In this post, we’ll break down the latest updates—from NPCI’s UPI Circle expansion to exclusive Visa campaigns, Amex point-back offers, and changes from major banks like HDFC, BOBCARD, and Axis.

1. NPCI UPI Circle Upgrade – Smarter & Safer Shared Payments

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has upgraded the UPI Circle feature, making it more flexible and useful for daily life.

• Delegated Payments: Secondary users (colleagues, domestic help, or personal assistants) can now make limited payments up to ₹15,000 per month with a ₹5,000 per transaction cap.

• Security First: Every payment requires multi-factor authentication (app password or biometric).

• Custom Controls: Primary users can set spending categories, per-user limits, and approval rules for complete control.

✅ This upgrade is a game-changer for households, small teams, and busy professionals—ensuring convenience without compromising security.

2. American Express “Redeem & Get 30% MR Points Back” (28 May–15 Aug 2025)

American Express has rolled out an exclusive Membership Rewards (MR) points redemption offer valid till 15th August 2025.

• Offer: Get 30% MR Points back on every redemption.

• Max Cap: Up to 100,000 MR Points back.

• Redemption Limit: Redeem up to 333,333 points to maximize the benefit.

Where Can You Redeem?

• SafeKey Transactions: Pay Amex online merchants via Pay with Points.

• Cover Your Charges: Use MR Points to pay statement charges via the Amex App or Online.

• Shop at Store: Pay with points at partner outlets.

• Travel with Points: Book flights and travel via the Amex Travel portal.

Tip: Since the offer applies across all redemption channels, it’s the perfect time to maximize your Amex points.

3. HDFC Bank – New Charges from 1st July 2025

HDFC Bank has announced new fees effective 1st July 2025.

• Rent Payments: 1% fee on rental transactions, capped at ₹4,999 per transaction.

• Skill-Based Gaming: 1% fee on spends above ₹10,000 per month, capped at ₹4,999.

• Wallet Loads: 1% fee on wallet loads beyond ₹10,000 per month, capped at ₹4,999.

For most users, these caps are generous. But heavy users of rent payments and wallet loads should take note.

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4. BOBCARD Updates – Effective 1st July 2025

BOBCARD is rolling out several important updates:

Rewards on Utility Bills

• 4 RP / ₹100: Swavlamban, Snapdeal

• 3 RP / ₹100: Eterna, Tiara, Varunah Premium

• 2 RP / ₹100: Premier, Prime, IRCTC, HPCL ENERGIE, Varunah Plus, Rakshamah, The Sentinel, Yoddha

• 1 RP / ₹100: Easy, Select, Corporate, Empower Business Card, ICAI Exclusive, ICSI Diamond, ICMAI One, Varunah, Vikram, Renaissance, Pragati

Other Key Changes

• New Redemption Rule: Minimum redemption of 1,000 points against statement balance.

• Snapdeal BOBCARD: Auto-redemption discontinued; now manual redemption via app/portal.

• Finance Charges: 3.75% per month (45% p.a.) for all cards except Eterna, Eterna FD, and Tiara.

• Debit Card Programme: Airport Pickup & Drop service under VISA Sapphire discontinued.

5. Visa “Transact and Win” Campaign (May–Oct 2025)

Visa has launched exciting offers for new and dormant users, valid till 31st October 2025.

Rewards Breakdown

• New Users: First txn ≥ ₹300 → Paytm voucher (₹250/₹500/₹750 based on card tier) + ₹5,000 villa stay voucher.

• Dormant Users: No txn from Oct ’24–Mar ’25, txn ≥ ₹300 → ₹100 Paytm voucher + ₹5,000 villa stay voucher.

• Tap-to-Pay Users: Any tap txn ≥ ₹300 → ₹100 Paytm voucher.

• Top Spenders: Spend ≥ ₹50K, 50+ txns, 2+ merchants → 2-night luxury villa stay at Elivaas/Alaya.

The top 10 cardholders completing the highest number of eligible transactions will win luxury stays.

Dormant users are defined as Visa cardholders who transacted between April–Sept 2024 but not between Oct 2024–Mar 2025.

6. Axis Bank SuperMoney RuPay Credit Card – Flat 3% UPI Cashback

Super.money in partnership with Axis Bank has launched an exciting new RuPay Credit Card designed for UPI users.

Key Benefits

• 3% Cashback on UPI spends (RuPay).

• 1% Cashback on other transactions.

• 100% Fuel Surcharge Waiver.

• Exclusive offers: Ola, Myntra, MakeMyTrip & more.

• Lifetime Free Card.

• Max Cashback: ₹500 per statement cycle.

• Interest Rate: 55.55% p.a.

Exclusions

No cashback on fuel, jewelry, cash withdrawals, wallet loads, insurance, education, government services, rent, or EMIs.

Verdict: A must-have for UPI-heavy users, but keep in mind the cashback exclusions.

Final Thoughts

From NPCI’s UPI Circle upgrade to cashback-rich RuPay cards and exciting Visa rewards, 2025 is shaping up to be an interesting year for digital payments in India.

• Households & small teams can now delegate UPI securely.

• Amex users should redeem smartly to get maximum points back.

• HDFC & BOBCARD holders must stay aware of new charges and rules.

• Visa & Axis are pushing innovative offers for both new and existing users.

Whether you’re a heavy spender, a UPI enthusiast, or a rewards optimizer, these updates offer plenty of opportunities—if used smartly.