Nepal Rastra Bank's Payment Systems Indicators — Bhadau 2082 Overview
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) published its Monthly Payment Systems Indicators for Bhadau 2082 (Mid-September 2025), presenting updated statistics on access and usage of digital payment systems in Nepal. The figures show a consistent rise in electronic transactions and gradual strengthening of payment infrastructures across the banking sector.
1. Access to Payment Systems
The Access Indicators measure how many institutions and channels exist to enable digital payments in Nepal.
| Particulars | 2081 Bhadau (Mid-Sep 2024) | 2082 Bhadau (Mid-Sep 2025) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment System Operators (PSO) | 9 | 9 | Steady |
| Payment Service Providers (PSP) | 26 | 22 | ↓ Decrease (4 less) |
| PSP Agents | 17,521 | 439,175 | ↑ Significant increase after NRB’s circular converting sub-agents |
| Wallet Users | 24.26 million | 24.68 million | ↑ Slight growth |
| ATM Terminals | 5,205 | 5,292 | ↑ Gradual expansion |
| Debit Cards | 13.09 million | 13.76 million | ↑ |
| Credit Cards | 289,239 | 321,343 | ↑ |
| Prepaid Cards | 781,714 | 257,684 | ↓ Major decline |
| Mobile Banking Users | 25.02 million | 28.24 million | ↑ Steady increase |
| Internet Banking Users | 1.92 million | 2.28 million | ↑ |
| Branchless Banking Centers | 1,129 | 876 | ↓ Reduction |
| connectIPS Users | 1.31 million | 1.47 million | ↑ Gradual increase |
| IPS Members | 132 | 143 | ↑ |
Key Insight:
The number of mobile banking users jumped by more than 3 million year-on-year — confirming that smartphones continue to drive digital finance adoption. However, the drop in prepaid cards suggests users are shifting to app-based and wallet-based alternatives.
2. Usage of Payment Systems
The Usage Indicators highlight how frequently each payment system is used, and the total value transacted.
| Category | Transactions (Mid-Sep 2024) | Transactions (Mid-Sep 2025) | Total Value (NPR Million) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTGS | 67,105 | 91,581 | 8,187,257 | ↑ 37% growth in high-value transfers |
| ATM Cash Withdrawals | 11.28 million | 11.08 million | 85,017 | ↔ Slight dip in number |
| ECC (Clearing Cheques) | 985,665 | 946,892 | 464,808 | ↔ Declining use of cheques |
| IPS | 1.28 million | 1.45 million | 219,965 | ↑ Consistent rise |
| Faster Payment Systems* | 13.43 million | 16.90 million | 443,686 | ↑ Rapid digital adoption |
| Debit Cards | 12.13 million | 11.95 million | 87,327 | ↔ Slightly down |
| Credit Cards | 283,046 | 257,717 | 1,900 | ↓ |
| Mobile Banking | 43.15 million | 62.69 million | 468,154 | ↑ 45% jump in usage |
| Wallets | 29.13 million | 38.98 million | 43,840 | ↑ Strong increase |
| e-Commerce | 157,573 | 196,426 | 1,578 | ↑ Expanding online trade |
| Cross-Border QR / Acquiring | 11,290 | 15,306 | 4,284 | ↑ Growing regional payment connectivity |
| Other Retail Payments | 6.39 million | 8.50 million | 429,518 | ↑ |
Faster Payment Systems include connectIPS (Mobile/Web/Gateway), Fonepay-IBFT, InstaFund, SCT-IBFT.
3. Key Takeaways
📈 Surge in Digital Channels
Mobile Banking and Wallet transactions continue to dominate, together representing over 100 million monthly transactions valued at nearly NPR 512 billion.
💳 Declining Cards, Rising Apps
Both debit and credit card transactions show slight declines, signaling a gradual behavioral shift toward QR, wallet, and mobile-based payments.
🏦 Institutional Growth
The number of IPS members (banks and institutions) increased from 132 to 143 — showing broader integration within the national payment ecosystem.
🌐 Cross-Border Payments Emerging
Transactions via Cross-Border QR or Acquiring almost doubled year-on-year, reflecting NRB’s policy push for regional interoperability and remittance facilitation.
4. Interpreting the Broader Picture
Nepal’s payment landscape is experiencing a transition:
- Digitization is now mainstream, driven by real-time systems like connectIPS and Fonepay.
- Cash dependency is gradually shrinking, though ATM use remains high.
- Interoperability among banks, PSPs, and PSOs is improving, aided by NRB’s regulatory enforcement.
- Consumer behavior is maturing — people increasingly trust digital channels for daily payments.
5. Note for Tech Folks 😄
“When NRB reports 60 million mobile transactions, that’s not just finance — that’s every click, tap, and QR beep echoing in the SQL logs of every PSP server!”
So, the next time your wallet app pings, remember — it’s part of a dataset that defines Nepal’s digital economy.
6. Reference
- Nepal Rastra Bank (2025): Monthly Payment Systems Indicators – Bhadau 2082 (Mid-September 2025).
- NRB Official Circular (PSP Conversion, 2081 Magh)
- NRB Official Website – Payment Systems Department