RuPay is India's national card network, operated by NPCI, which has grown alongside the government's financial inclusion policy to account for the majority of debit card issuance. This is an integration guide for Korean merchants looking to reach the Indian card customer base that global card networks alone can't reach.
Rather than relying on global card networks, India is a market that has nurtured its own domestic card network at the national level. NPCI's RuPay, combined with the government's financial inclusion programs, has come to hold well over half of debit card issuance share, and a recently opened path linking RuPay credit cards to UPI has broadened its touchpoints even further. This is why accepting only globally networked cards while taking Indian card payments leaves a substantial customer base out of reach.
RuPay is characterized by a large base of mass-market customers, including those in rural areas and smaller cities, and many debit card users linked to government subsidy or salary-linked accounts. For businesses selling mass-market products such as daily necessities, education, or low-cost subscriptions across India, or those aiming to also cover card-preferring customers, accepting RuPay meaningfully expands sales coverage.
When a consumer enters their RuPay card number or pays with a saved card, approval occurs after additional authentication (such as an OTP) required by the RBI, and the amount is billed in INR. Hecto Financial receives this INR amount locally, converts it, and settles to the Korean merchant in whichever currency—USD, KRW, or JPY—was selected. Check the technical documentation for support of derivative paths such as UPI-linked payments with RuPay credit cards.
Through Hecto Financial, a Korean corporate entity can review RuPay card acceptance without a local acquiring contract in India. Given the nature of card networks, industry restrictions and chargeback rules apply together, so advance confirmation for your product category is recommended.
※ This section describes the general support process and does not guarantee actual integration eligibility for a specific merchant. Please confirm exact coverage and fees through consultation.
Confirm contract eligibility as a Korea-registered business
The integration approach differs depending on whether you sell online only or also operate offline stores in India
Advance confirmation is needed to check whether your category falls under RuPay's restricted merchant categories
Confirm compliance with India's payment and foreign exchange regulations (see official sources below)
RuPay transaction funds are generated in INR and received locally by Hecto Financial. The currency the Korean merchant actually receives is the one—USD, KRW, or JPY—designated under contract, with conversion handled on Hecto Financial's side. The settlement cycle and fee rate follow contract terms, and since this is a card transaction, refunds are processed as cancellations back to the original card, so refund policy design should factor in the processing time required by the card issuer and bank.
The Hecto Financial team will work with you to review the right combination of payment methods for the Indian market.
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