India to launch new domain name for banks to fight digital fraud

India’s central bank is introducing an exclusive “.bank.in” domain for banks from April 2025 as part of efforts to combat rising digital payment frauds and bolster trust in online banking services.

The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) will serve as the exclusive registrar for the new domain, the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement on Wednesday. The central bank plans to roll out a separate ‘fin.in’ domain for non-bank financial institutions.

“Increased instances of fraud in digital payments are a significant concern,” said RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, adding that the new domain system aims to reduce cyber security threats and malicious activities like phishing. The move comes as India grapples with a surge in digital payment frauds and predatory lending apps.

The central bank said it would issue detailed guidelines to banks separately for the new initiative, which is designed to help users distinguish legitimate banking websites from fraudulent ones.