Payment Banks: Changing Indian Payments Landscape

Abstract

The banking system and financial transactions have taken paradigm shift in recent decade in India. The present era has entered into smartphone to smart wallet and they have become mainstream mode of online payment. Mobile users use digital payment gateway and e-commerce applications to facilitate financial transactions to online retailers and e-businesses. Demonetization has also envisaged progressive shift to cashless economy. The study was conducted to find out the dimensions and impact of various demographic factors on the usage of payment banks in the Ahmedabad district of Gujarat. The payment banks show a rapid growth and identified dimensions for the usage of payment banks are; user friendly, convenience, cost effectiveness, security and easy cash management. People look for the aforesaid factors while they transact through payment banks. It is observed that most of the people use Paytm, Freecharge and Jio money payment banks to transact and awareness has impact on the usability of payment banks for bill payment, recharge, ticket booking and shopping. Considering the demographic factors and its impact on the occupation, annual income and education on the usage of payment banks whereas age and annual income both impact the frequency of usage and average spending through payment banks.

Keywords: Demonetization, Electronic Payment, Payment Bank

JEL Classification: M20, M30, M31, M32, M38, M39, G2, G28, O3