The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) made several important announcements during its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in February 2026.
One major focus was strengthening consumer protection in digital payments.
A key decision is the creation of a new framework for fraudulent transactions.
Under this system, if a customer falls victim to fraud, the stock exchange will bear losses up to ₹25,000.
This move comes amid rising cases of digital fraud, where customers are often targeted by cybercriminals.
How the New Fraud Rules Work
Currently, RBI’s 2017 guidelines limit customer liability in case of fraud.
The new rules go further:
If a transaction is fraudulent and reported on time, the bank or payment provider must bear the loss.
This applies to UPI, debit cards, and online payments, providing relief to millions of users.
These changes aim to make digital payments safer and more secure for everyone.
Economic Update: Repo Rate and Stability
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the financial system is stable, with no major stress on banks or NBFCs.
Key highlights from the MPC meeting:
Repo rate remains unchanged at 5.25%.
Inflation forecast is maintained at 7.4%.
Liquidity surplus averaged ₹70,000 crore, rising to ₹2 lakh crore after February measures.
Foreign exchange reserves are $723.8 billion, enough to cover 11 months of imports.
Merchandise exports grew by 1.9%.
These figures show that the economy remains stable, with no major capital outflows.
RBI Discussion Paper on System Security
The RBI will soon release a discussion paper to improve digital payment security.
Key points include:
Setting transaction limits and additional authentication for vulnerable groups like senior citizens.
Introducing face ID or biometric authentication for younger users to reduce fraud risks.
Public feedback will be invited before finalizing the guidelines.
This initiative is expected to make digital payments safer for all users, giving consumers greater confidence in online transactions.
