Urban Co-operative Banks can now hold equity shares of Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) to become members: RBI amends investment Directions
RBI has amended its investment portfolio Directions for Urban Co-operative Banks so that they can acquire membership of the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC), described as the nation’s central digital payment fraud intelligence platform. Paragraphs 101(5) and 107(1) of the 2025 Directions now mention equity shares of IDPIC. The change took effect on 2 September 2026.
Key facts
- Published
- 2 September 2026
- Section
- FEMA & RBI
- What it is
- Rule change
- In force
- In force from the date of issue, 2 September 2026
- Who it affects
- Urban Co-operative Banks, their boards, treasury and investment committees, and statutory auditors
In 30 seconds
- The amendment is the Reserve Bank of India (Urban Co-operative Banks – Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio) Second Amendment Directions, 2026, RBI/2026-27/249.
- It amends Chapter VIII — Investment in non-SLR securities — of the 2025 Directions dated 28 November 2025.
- Paragraph 101(5) now covers equity shares of the Umbrella Organization of the UCB sector and of IDPIC, for acquiring membership.
- Paragraph 107(1) now lists IDPIC with Market Infrastructure Companies, the Umbrella Organization and CCBs / StCBs.
- In force from the date of issue, 2 September 2026.
हिंदी में सार
RBI ने 2 सितंबर 2026 को Urban Co-operative Banks के investment portfolio Directions में संशोधन किया है। अब UCB, Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) — देश के केंद्रीय digital payment fraud intelligence platform — की सदस्यता लेने के लिए उसके equity shares रख सकते हैं। पैरा 101(5) और 107(1) बदले गए हैं और संशोधन जारी होने की तारीख़ से लागू है।
What RBI has changed
On 2 September 2026 the Reserve Bank of India issued the Reserve Bank of India (Urban Co-operative Banks – Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio) Second Amendment Directions, 2026 (RBI/2026-27/249). It amends Chapter VIII, on investment in non-SLR securities, of the Directions of the same name dated 28 November 2025.
Why
RBI gives the reason in the opening paragraph: the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) has been established as the nation’s central digital payment fraud intelligence platform, and the existing instructions needed to be amended to enable Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) to acquire its membership.
The two paragraphs, as substituted
| Paragraph | Text after the amendment |
|---|---|
| 101(5) | “Equity shares of Umbrella Organization (UO) of UCB sector and Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) for acquiring membership;” |
| 107(1) | “Equity shares of Market Infrastructure Companies (MICs), Umbrella Organization (UO) of UCB Sector, IDPIC, and CCBs / StCBs, if it becomes necessary to do so for acquiring membership of these entities;” |
In both places the reference to IDPIC is tied to membership: the shares are those held for acquiring membership of the entity. The amendment gives only the substituted text; it does not reproduce the rest of paragraphs 101 and 107, so the conditions that surround these two items have to be read in the principal Directions.
Legal basis and date
- Issued under section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, read with section 56.
- The Amendment Directions come into effect from the date of issue — 2 September 2026.
What the amendment does not say
The amendment does not set an amount or a ceiling for the investment in IDPIC shares, does not say how membership is to be applied for, and does not make membership compulsory. It only changes the investment Directions so that such a shareholding can be held.
What UCBs should do
A UCB that intends to become a member of IDPIC can now acquire its equity shares for that purpose. Before investing, it should read the substituted items in the full text of paragraphs 101 and 107 of the 2025 Directions, since the amendment changes only those two entries.
Questions and answers
Can an Urban Co-operative Bank invest in IDPIC shares?
Yes. From 2 September 2026, paragraphs 101(5) and 107(1) of the UCB investment portfolio Directions, 2025 refer to equity shares of IDPIC held for acquiring membership.
What is IDPIC?
The amendment describes the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation as the nation’s central digital payment fraud intelligence platform. It gives no further detail.
Is membership of IDPIC compulsory for UCBs?
The amendment does not say so. It says the instructions are being amended to enable UCBs to acquire IDPIC’s membership.
Is there a limit on the investment?
The amendment does not state any amount or ceiling. It only substitutes the two entries; the rest of paragraphs 101 and 107 is in the principal Directions.
Published 2 September 2026. Updated 4 October 2026. This report is for general information and is not professional advice. Read the source document before acting on it.