IDEMIA, Airtel Payments Bank, HMD Global to Enable Digital Rupee on Feature Phones

IDEMIA, a global identity technologies and biometric solutions provider, has partnered with Airtel Payments Bank of Bharti Airtel and HMD Global, the home of Nokia Phones, to extend the reach of offline Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) payments in India.

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Offline CBDC Payments

According to the statement, IDEMIA, Airtel Payments Bank, and HMD Global will jointly work together over the next few months to introduce an advanced offline payment system that allows the use of the digital Rupee (CBDC issued by the Reserve Bank of India) on feature phones, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the industry.

“This partnership will work towards further strengthening financial inclusion and digital payments, to make it possible to pay in digital currency even without having a smartphone or being connected to the internet, either temporarily or because of coverage limitations,” said the joint statement.

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Addressing Smartphone Gaps

Despite the growing popularity of smartphones, a significant portion of India’s population still lacks access to these devices. This collaboration aims to overcome this limitation, especially in areas with limited connectivity.

Secure Offline Transactions

IDEMIA said its technology will provide a secure offline layer, enabling instant transactions without requiring online validation. It will be compatible with the digital Rupee in India, and with any other solution, decentralized or centralized, token or account based, developed in-house by a central bank or independent software vendors.