RBI master-direction RBI/DOR/2025-26/380 · 28 Nov 2025
Official title
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Digital Banking Channels Authorisation) Directions, 2025
Summary
Check the official recordThe Reserve Bank of India establishes a regulatory framework for commercial banks to provide digital banking channels. Banks must implement Core Banking Solutions and enable public-facing IT infrastructure for IPv6 traffic to offer these services. Banks require prior Reserve Bank approval to launch transactional banking facilities, while view-only facilities require intimation to the Department of Regulation. Banks must maintain comprehensive policies for liquidity and operational risks and comply with specific cyber security and technology governance standards. The directions mandate explicit customer consent for registration, prohibit compulsory bundling of digital services, and require network-independent mobile banking. These rules apply to all commercial banks, excluding small finance, payment, and local area banks, effective January 1, 2026.
What you must do
Key dates
Who is affected
Thresholds
Exceptions
If you do not comply
RBI/DOR/2025-26/380 DOR.RAUG.AUT.REC.303/24.01.041/2025-26
November 28, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Digital Banking Channels Authorisation) Directions, 2025
Table of Contents
Chapter I – Preliminary
Chapter II – Prudential Requirements
Chapter III – Guidelines on Technological Issues in Digital Banking
Chapter IV – General Guidelines
Chapter V – Exemptions, Repeal and Other Provisions
In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (hereinafter called the Act), the Reserve Bank, being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby, issues the following directions.
Chapter I – Preliminary
These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Digital Banking Channels Authorisation) Directions, 2025.
These Directions shall come into effect from January 01, 2026.
These Directions shall be applicable to Commercial Banks (hereinafter collectively referred to as 'banks' and individually as a 'bank').
For the purpose of these Directions, ‘Commercial Banks’ mean banking companies (other than Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks, and Local Area Banks), corresponding new banks, and the State Bank of India, as defined respectively under clauses (c), (da), and (nc) of Section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
4.1 In these Directions, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions shall be applicable:
Note: Loans, funds transfers, and other such facilities, which create liability for the customer and/or involve movement of funds, cannot be provided by banks having view only facility over digital channels. However, banks providing view only facility can provide downloadable forms for such facilities.
4.2 All other expressions unless defined herein shall have the same meaning as have been assigned to them under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 or the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and rules / regulations made thereunder, or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereto, or Glossary of terms published by the Reserve Bank or as used in commercial parlance, as the case may be.
Chapter II – Prudential Requirements
Banks shall put in place comprehensive policy(ies) for all digital banking channels keeping in account all statutory and regulatory requirements (including on management of liquidity and operational risks in digital banking scenario).
6.1 All banks which have implemented Core Banking Solution (CBS) and have enabled their public facing Information technology (IT) infrastructure to handle Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) traffic are eligible to provide view only banking facility for internet banking, mobile banking, and other digital banking channels-based services.
6.2 The banks commencing view only digital banking channel(s), from date of applicability of these Directions, shall intimate the Department of Regulation, Reserve Bank of India (through the PRAVAAH portal), along with a copy of the ‘Gap Assessment and Internal Controls Adequacy’ (GAICA) report as prescribed in para 7.1(e)(i) below within thirty days from the decision to launch the facility with the approval of appropriate authority. The process shall be subject to scrutiny as deemed fit by the supervisors.
7.1 Banks shall require prior approval of the Reserve Bank for launching transactional banking facility. Subject to fulfilment of the eligibility criteria as enumerated below, banks may apply to the Department of Regulation, Reserve Bank of India (through the PRAVAAH portal) for launch of transactional banking facility, along with the approval of appropriate authority and other necessary supporting documents.
7.2 Once an approval is granted under these Directions, the bank can provide all types of digital banking channels. If a bank had received approval for a particular digital banking channel (like mobile banking) before the date of applicability of these Directions, it shall ensure compliance to the eligibility criteria as detailed in para 7.1(a) to (d) above before launching any other digital banking channel. Further, the GAICA Report, certified by (third party) CERT-In empanelled auditor(s), addressing the specific requirement for the new proposed channels shall be sent to the Department of Regulation, Reserve Bank of India (through the PRAVAAH portal) with the approval of appropriate authority within thirty days from the decision to launch the facility. The process shall be subject to scrutiny as deemed fit by the supervisors.
Chapter III – Guidelines on Technological Issues in Digital Banking
