Google Pay launches its first-ever UPI-powered RuPay credit card with instant reward redemption

Global digital payments platform Google Pay has partnered with private sector lender Axis Bank to launch its first-ever UPI-powered co-branded credit card in the Indian market.

The credit card, named the Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card, is an Axis Bank-issued card built on the RuPay payments network and is designed to integrate credit usage seamlessly into everyday UPI transactions on the Google Pay app.

The companies said the card aims to make credit usage as simple and ubiquitous as UPI payments for digital-first consumers.

“Built on the RuPay network, the card aims to make the credit experience as ubiquitous as the UPI payments people make every day, powered by Google Pay’s convenient, secure experience and Axis Bank’s trusted banking expertise,” the companies said in a joint statement.

The launch reflects a broader industry push to expand credit access through UPI, which has emerged as the dominant retail payments rail in India. By combining RuPay’s UPI compatibility with a fully digital credit card experience, Google Pay and Axis Bank are targeting users who prefer app-based payments and flexible credit management.

According to Axis Bank, the card has been designed with instant rewards and flexible repayment options at its core.

“With UPI emerging as the preferred mode of payment, we identified a clear opportunity to co-create a credit offering tailored for the digital-first consumer. This brings together Axis Bank’s leadership in financial solutions and Google Pay’s cutting-edge technology to simplify everyday transactions with instant rewards, flexible repayment options, and more,” said Arnika Dixit, President and Head of Cards, Payments and Wealth Management at Axis Bank.

The Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card is issued on a fully digital basis. Users can apply for the card directly within the Google Pay app at zero cost, without physical paperwork, and begin transacting within minutes.

The card exists entirely on the user’s mobile phone, allowing access and control at all times through the app. Being on the RuPay network, the card can be used across millions of offline merchants via UPI scan-and-pay as well as for online checkouts on apps and websites.

Customers earn reward points, referred to as “stars,” on every Flex transaction, with a redemption value of 1 star equal to Rs 1. These rewards can be redeemed instantly on eligible transactions, without waiting for a billing cycle to end. Repayment and spend management are handled within the Google Pay app.

Users can track their spending, pay their dues in full, or convert outstanding balances into EMIs. The app also provides in-app controls, allowing customers to manage transaction limits, block or unblock the card, and reset their PIN instantly.

Google Pay said the Flex credit card experience is available exclusively on its app.

The rollout has begun, with access being expanded in phases over the coming months. Interested users can join the waitlist through the Google Pay application. The company also indicated that it plans to extend the Flex platform to additional issuing bank partners over time, deepening its integration with India’s financial ecosystem.