RBI Launches Offline CBDC: How Users Can Make Payments Without Internet Using Digital Cash

The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday introduced the ‘Offline Digital Rupee’, a major step in India’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) journey. The feature allows digital payments without internet or mobile network, allowing users to pay using tap or QR, just like cash.

“Digital Rupee or e₹, is India’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). It is the digital form of India’s physical currency, the Rupee (₹). e₹ is issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in digital form and offers features similar to physical cash,” the central bank explained on its website.

This feature was launched at the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai. The Digital Rupee (e₹) is the electronic form of the Indian Rupee. Issued by the RBI, it offers the same trust as cash.

Branded with the tagline: “cash, but digital”, the feature allows offline transactions and also introduces programmability. This enables restrictions or specific use conditions on digital rupees for targeted schemes, subsidies and corporate disbursements.

e₹ is stored in a digital wallet and can be used to send, receive or pay money easily. This move is aimed at strengthening India’s digital economy and financial inclusion efforts. India has now become one of the first countries in the world to operationalise an offline version of a CBDC.

Currently, 15 banks are offering CBDC wallets to access the digital rupee. These include SBI, ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank, YES Bank and HDFC Bank, among others.

According to the RBI, the offline feature of the Digital Rupee (e₹) enables transactions in areas with poor or no internet. It aims to provide a cash-like experience, especially in remote and rural regions. The RBI is testing multiple offline solutions.

One such solution allows payments without the internet but still needs telecom signals. Another uses NFC (Near Field Communication) to enable tap-based payments with no connectivity at all. These innovations are designed to make e₹ more inclusive.

Unlike UPI, e₹ is the digital form of cash. UPI is a payment system that moves money between bank accounts. e₹ can be stored in a digital wallet, just like physical cash. It does not need a bank account for each transaction. Payments between two e₹ wallets settle instantly. e₹ apps will also be able to scan UPI QRs.