Google Pay Launches Its First UPI-Powered RuPay Credit Card with Instant Reward Redemption
Sat Dec 20 2025
Google Pay has officially entered India’s credit card market with the launch of its first-ever UPI-powered, co-branded credit card, developed in partnership with Axis Bank. Built on the RuPay network, the new offering — called the Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card — brings credit functionality directly into everyday UPI transactions.
The launch represents a major step in merging credit access with India’s most widely used digital payments infrastructure, making credit usage as simple and familiar as scanning a UPI QR code.
Credit Meets UPI
Issued by Axis Bank and powered by RuPay, the Google Pay Flex card allows users to make credit-based payments through standard UPI scan-and-pay flows, as well as online purchases across apps and websites.
By embedding credit directly into the Google Pay app, the card eliminates the friction typically associated with traditional credit cards — separate apps, delayed rewards, and complex management.
The goal is clear: make credit feel as seamless and ubiquitous as UPI.
Fully Digital, App-First Experience
The Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card is designed as a 100% digital product:
- Users can apply directly through the Google Pay app
- No paperwork or physical card required
- Card activation and usage within minutes
Once issued, the card exists entirely within the app, giving users real-time control over:
- Spending tracking
- Transaction limits
- Card blocking and unblocking
- PIN reset
- Repayment management
Everything happens instantly, without needing to interact with a bank branch or call center.
Instant Rewards and Flexible Repayment
One of the standout features of the Flex card is instant reward redemption.
Users earn reward points, called “stars,” on eligible transactions:
- 1 star = ₹1
- Rewards can be redeemed instantly at the time of purchase
- No waiting for billing cycles or redemption windows
In addition, the card offers flexible repayment options. Users can:
- Pay the outstanding balance in full
- Convert eligible spends into EMIs
All repayment choices are handled directly within the Google Pay app, offering transparency and convenience.
Targeting Digital-First Consumers
The launch reflects a broader industry push to extend credit access via UPI, which has become the dominant retail payments rail in India.
By combining:
- RuPay’s UPI compatibility
- Google Pay’s app-first experience
- Axis Bank’s credit infrastructure
the Flex card targets users who already rely heavily on UPI and want integrated, real-time credit solutions rather than traditional card experiences.
Axis Bank noted that the product is tailored for consumers who value simplicity, transparency, and digital control in their financial products.
Availability and Expansion Plans
The Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card is being rolled out in phases. Interested users can join a waitlist directly through the Google Pay app, with broader access expected over the coming months.
Google Pay has also indicated plans to expand the Flex platform to additional issuing bank partners, suggesting this launch is the beginning of a larger push into embedded credit products.
Looking Ahead: UPI as a Financial Services Platform
By merging UPI, credit, and instant rewards into a single app-based experience, Google Pay is positioning the Flex credit card as a next-generation payment product for India’s digital economy.
The launch underscores a broader shift: UPI is no longer just a payments rail — it is increasingly becoming a gateway for credit, rewards, and financial services.
As UPI continues to evolve, products like the Google Pay Flex card hint at a future where accessing and managing credit is as effortless as making a ₹50 scan-and-pay transaction.
Sat Dec 20 2025
