NPCI Launches Instant Card-Issuing ATMs, Expands AI Initiatives
India's NPCI unveiled new open-source ATMs capable of instant card issuance and introduced AI platforms to streamline fintech operations at the Global Fintech Fest 2026.
At the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai, India's National Payments Corporation (NPCI) announced new digital infrastructure initiatives aimed at increasing credit access across the country. The organization also introduced advancements in artificial intelligence to enhance fintech operations.
The NPCI launched open-source Android ATMs designed to serve as digital banking units. These machines can handle account openings and loan applications, and importantly, issue RuPay cards and merchant UPI QR codes instantly. This significantly reduces the onboarding time from weeks to minutes.
"The solution aims to expand the role of ATMs from just cash withdrawal and deposit machines to intelligent customer service and banking access points," NPCI stated. The new ATMs are currently being trialed by nine major lenders and three manufacturers.
Additionally, NPCI rolled out AiNxt, an open-source AI platform for building and deploying intelligent agents. They also introduced AtOM, an AI-driven platform for managing integrations and partner onboarding within the UPI network. A forthcoming "Unified Agent Protocol" is expected to allow AI agents to execute small digital payments without requiring individual user authorization for each transaction.
The Ministry of Finance also expanded the 'Credit Line on UPI' facility to include government-backed credit schemes like Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and PM MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), enabling beneficiaries to link pre-sanctioned credit lines directly to UPI for digital transactions.