The co-branded “PNB Kiwi Credit Card” enables customers to make UPI payments directly using a credit line, alongside conventional online card usage.
The product will be available to PNB’s customer base of around 180 million, with onboarding conducted entirely through digital channels.
The move comes amid the growing adoption of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has become the backbone of retail digital payments in India. The card operates on the RuPay network, which supports linking of credit cards to UPI apps—an initiative aimed at widening formal credit usage beyond traditional card swipes.
PNB said the partnership is intended to improve access to formal credit, particularly in semi-urban and rural markets where it has a significant branch presence. The bank has over 10,000 branches, with a majority located outside major urban centres.
Kiwi, a relatively new entrant in the credit-on-UPI segment, focuses on enabling credit card transactions through QR-based payments. This marks its first collaboration with a public sector bank.
The card offers cashback incentives on UPI and online transactions and does not charge joining or annual fees, according to details shared by the companies.
Industry participants have been exploring credit-on-UPI as a way to deepen credit penetration while leveraging familiar payment behaviour. However, the pace of adoption will depend on factors such as user awareness, merchant acceptance, and risk management practices around unsecured lending.
