In our Country, Just a few years back, it was difficult to imagine that the transaction can be possible without taking cash in the market. Cash has always been the primary form of payment in the nation and it is still now. Digital payments in Nepal  like eSewa, Khalti, IME pay, etc were not used as it is used nowadays.

But with the passage of time and the advancement of technology, electronic payments have increased so rapidly that in almost every sector, digital payments have been welcomed in every financial activity.

According to data published by the Nepal Rastra Bank, the use of credit or debit cards and digital payment methods has greatly expanded in Nepal during the past several years (NRB).

In 2018, there was 712 billion NPR worth of digital transactions or cashless payments; in 2019, that figure rose to 1,559 billion NPR.

Some of the well-known businesses that offer services for digital financial transactions, such eSewa ,IME Pay, Connect ips have seen a significant increase in users.

Some of top Digital payments system in Nepal are explained below with important information:

Digital payments in Nepal -Esewa: 

eSewa, Nepal’s first online payment gateway, was introduced in 2009. Rastra Bank has also granted it a license to operate as a payment service provider. It covers practically every industry and is constantly growing its offerings as they work toward their aim of developing a cashless economy.

Since its debut, eSewa has made life easier for its users by enabling them to pay their utility bills from the convenience of their homes. by enabling online mobile recharge, bill payments via the Internet, bus and airline tickets, cinema tickets, bank transfers, payments for education costs, payments for insurance premiums, and scan and pay. Along with being the first digital wallet in Nepal, eSewa also has the largest customer base (5M+) and merchant networks (400K+), which include both government and private sector businesses.

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Esewa login

Esewa contact details

E sewa: Toll-Free No: 1660-01-02121

Esewa app

Digital payments in Nepal -Khalti :

Khalti, which was introduced in January 2017, is a newly established and quickly expanding mobile wallet, payment gateway, and service provider. By providing financial inclusion to every person in Nepal, they hope to make people’s life easier. They also hope to use best practices to move the payment sector from the offline to the online world.

Khalti is the second-best digital payments in Nepal thanks to its top-notch technical team and creative initiatives. Khalti offers a variety of services, including paying utility bills, booking hotels, movies, domestic flights, events, and more.

It offers an online version in addition to a phone application. Additionally, it contains a biometric security feature that enables users to complete transactions with just a touch of their fingertips.

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Khalti login

Khalti contact details

Khalti Toll Free No: 1660-01-5-8888

Khalti app

Digital payments in Nepal -IME Pay:

In order to offer a digital payment option, IME Digital established the mobile money service known as IMEpay. Additionally, Rastra Bank has granted it a license. One of the newest digital wallets, IMEpay, seeks to serve the great majority of Nepal’s banked, unbanked, and underbanked consumers.

A Fintech smartphone app called IMEpay offers services such remittance, domestic airline booking, utility bill payment, ISP payment, and bus and cable car ticketing.

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Imepay login

Imepay contact Details

Imepay Toll free: 16600-151515 (/NTC Customer Only)

Imepay app

Digital payments in Nepal -Connect IPS: 

Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL), a payment system operator licensed and supervised by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), created and runs the connectIPS e-Payment System (PSO). Most banks and other financial organizations support NCHL, along with Nepal Rastra Bank.

ConnectIPS was created as a single payments platform to enable bank clients to make financial transfers and service payments through numerous channels,. Payment transactions are handled immediately at the sender and receiver because they are processed straight from/to bank accounts. The system is accessible round-the-clock via additional web (www.connectips.com), mobile app, and payment process/gateway channels. Major banks and financial institutions’ mobile and internet banking services as well as the apps and websites of several mobile wallets allow access to this.

In contrast to mobile wallets, which require fund loading and unloading, connectIPS is an instant or faster payment system with extra channels (web, mobile, and gateway) as platforms to link multiple bank accounts and to execute payment transactions through one of the linked bank accounts. ConnectIPS is connected to a number of mobile wallet and banks which ease to load and unload fund for different platform.

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Connect ips login 

Connect ips contact Details

CIPS Toll free : 16600155306 (NTC)
+977- 9801528400 (NCELL)

CIPS app

 

Addition to above, there are other electronic payments system also, like:  ipay, Prabhupay, etc.

Let us explore why digital payments are becoming more and more popular with businesses and consumers?

As per our research, we found out the below factors to make increase of it in Nepal:

1. Simple onboarding and use

A payment gateway essentially makes it possible for a firm to accept digital payments on its website or mobile app. The service provider handles all transaction-related procedures once you have selected the appropriate payment gateway.

The procedure of partnering with a payment gateway is comparatively straightforward and virtually frictionless.

For instance, the Paytm Payment Gateway enables 100% online onboarding, rapid activation, and minimal documentation so that you may begin collecting payments in less than 24 hours.

2. Increased awareness

Online firms have played a significant part in facilitating the process as users have begun to understand the mechanisms of digital payments.

The electronic payments uses are increased after covid. The bigger portion of the population are moving towards the digital transformation.

Following that, a number of companies, fintech companies, government agencies, and other institutions continually advocated the usage of digital payment, increasing awareness.

3. Internet growth and smartphone adoption

Nepal’s internet connectivity has dramatically increased over the years, and the rollout of 4G telecom services is anticipated soon. With this expanded bandwidth, online communication will be quicker and simpler.

Parallel to this, smartphone use has increased at an unparalleled rate.

In addition to facilitating transactions, smartphones are now necessary for many daily tasks, making them a valuable personal possession for people of all ages, locations, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

4. Government policies

One of the government’s signature initiatives, Cashless Nepal aims to digitally empower the nation and transition it to a cashless society. To assist this innovative effort, numerous policies in the fields of technology and payment infrastructure have been implemented. To improve the ecosystem for digital payments, the Nepal Rastra Bank regularly issues new policies and rules.

Along with facilitating various digital payment methods, the government is actively facilitating their accessibility to a growing number of people by providing instructional and reference materials.

5. Transparent and quick transactions

Digital payments are instantaneous and accessible from anywhere at any time, in contrast to traditional payment methods. The transaction is done on an e-commerce company’s website or app at any time. This is a big advantage.

Additionally, neither the client nor the company must keep track of and follow up on the receipts. The messages, notifications, and confirmation emails make the electronic payments procedure streamline and transparent.

The dashboards also give merchants a thorough breakdown of the amounts credited and debited by the various payment sources.

What advantages can digital payments offer to online businesses?

A successful e-commerce firm is built on providing an outstanding customer experience. Digital payments’ ease of use significantly contributes to this and improves consumers’ overall buying experiences.

To maintain a competitive edge today, businesses must always stay up with the way that digital payments are changing.

The benefits of digital payments for businesses are as follows:

Reduce operating expenses

Improve cash flow

Assist in guiding data-backed decisions

Boost sales and make sure transactions are safe

Provide a seamless checkout process

expand brand awareness and consumer base

Automate associated tasks

Conclusion

The development of digital payments in Nepal will be a long-term process that opens up new prospects. Everyone is actively working to develop it, from public institutions to private businesses and, most importantly, consumers.

Future advances in digital payments are undoubtedly exciting, and as businesses prepare to accept them, selecting a strong and dependable payment gateway will be as important.

The most popular option among prominent startups and businesses in Nepal is eSewa, the Payment Gateway provides all the important elements required for a business to ensure hassle-free transactions.

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