Overview
In Nepal, mobile wallets have become such a standard feature on practically every smartphone. Since COVID-19 imposed shutdown, mobile wallets have grown in popularity even more. These days, the term “cashless economy” is widely utilized. In the sphere of information and technology, mobile payment is the most recent invention. The use of a wallet to make online payments is a worldwide trend that Nepal cannot ignore. However Nepal is still a long way from becoming a digital society, the government and corporations have made strides in this direction. In Nepal, there are now a plethora of online digital payment or mobile wallet gateways.
People’s lives have been made easier by the availability of online digital payment services, which eliminate the need to queue for hours to pay bills. You’re only a touch away from recharging your phone or purchasing a movie ticket for your favorite movie. You can obtain a variety of incentives for utilizing these services, such as cashback when you are using applications to make any kind of transaction. Digital payment services are also used to pay for airline tickets, movie tickets, and transactions in addition to utility payments, such as electric and water bills.
History
The launch of the credit card from Nabil Bank in 1990 marked the beginning of the notion of digital money transfers in Nepal. Kumari Bank was an online bank in Nepal that offers internet banking services. Digital payment systems are currently popular among Nepali consumers, despite remembering it took little time for them to become a part of people’s life.
After F1 Soft International launched eSewa in 2009, the notion of digital/mobile wallets was born. In Nepal, the advent of eSewa transformed the notion of digital payment. Nepal has witnessed a variety of digital payment services since then. Other payment systems, such as Khalti, IME Pay, QPay, iPay, and others, have debuted since eSewa.
What is a Digital Wallet?
A digital wallet, often known as an e-wallet, is an online service that enables people to conduct online transactions using the internet. A mobile payment securely maintains users’ log-in credentials and payment information on its servers, allowing them to make online payments while also keeping track of their transaction history for future reference.
To meet the expectations of a rising consumer base, several companies have developed their own digital wallets, which include a variety of functions and a user-friendly interface that allows for on-the-go payment.
Today’s post will look at the top seven digital wallets in Nepal as of now, explained below;
1. eSewa
eSewa is a popular digital wallet. It is, moreover, the country’s first internet payment gateway, which has been operational since 2009. eSewa is a mobile payment created by F1 Soft International, a well-known software business.
eSewa has been providing a variety of payment choices and services, gradually extending its offerings. This has been able to benefit of the very first advantage in the area of digital wallets, resulting in the country’s largest user base to date, with over 4 million (100,000plus active users). Furthermore, this mobile payment has amassed a community of 150,000+ retailers, 50+ partnership banks, and 105,000+ POS service agents.
At the moment, eSewa is most known for its partnership with Daraz’s own heritage 11.11 campaign, as well as its extensive list of government payment alternatives, including Inland Revenue Board, Traffic Charge Payments, Payment for Department of International Employment, and others.
As for security, eSewa provides biometric verification to authentic user’s id alongside MPIN and password. In Addition, eSewa also allows fundamental functions to be performed offline. SMS may be used to top up your phone or send money to the other eSewa accounts.
2. Khalti
Khalti is Nepal’s second most popular digital wallet. It was founded by a group of bright minds and is now in its fourth year, with 40+ financial partners, 8000+ POS and reseller networks, and 130+ brilliant brains.
Khalti offers many of the same features as eSewa, as well as those that are unique. Everything you might want of an electronic banking channel is available, from cell top-ups to utility payments and government services. It also allows you to purchase movies or plane tickets from a variety of hypermarkets and major domestic carriers.
With its cashback techniques, khalti has risen to prominence as a PSP. As eSewa, Khalti offers instant cashback on cinema tickets, internet subscriptions, and TV payments, among other things. Users of Khalti can save up to 3% on the services stated above when they pay using Khalti. This is a fun feature that has really helped Khalti gain traction.
3. IME Pay
In the nation, IME is a well-known remittance service provider. In all digital wallets, they are now providing a better option for their consumers. IME Pay is one of Nepal’s most popular developing digital payment systems in recent years.
IME Pay is Nepal’s first and only digital wallet, accepting all varieties of QR payments including Smart QR, Fone Pay, Union Pay, and IME Pay. It offers a Super Wallet function that allows you to earn interest on the money you have in an IME Pay account. To do so, one must authenticate their KYC and have a balance of at least Rs 1000.
IME Pay is now available in 75 districts in Nepal, with plans to expand to 77 districts soon. IME Pay, which has a compensated total of RS 100 million, offers the following services through its mobile and online apps.
Airline tickets, bus booking, utility payments, remittances, ISB billing, telephone bill payment, and other services are available through this app. Ticket prices for Chandragiri Hills Cable Car are also available through the digital wallet.
4.PrabhuPay
PrabhuPay, which is owned by the Prabhu Group, is also one of the most recent digital wallet payment providers. PrabhuPay has its own bank, which allows us to send money to wallets across 20 various banks. The nicest aspect is that you may transfer money between any of the PrabhuPay Ecosystem sites.
PrabhuPay, like its competitors, accepts payments for electricity, water, internet, landline, and television bills. It also provides customers with the ability to top up their phones, purchase recharge pins, and data packs. Similarly, the portal offers movie ticketing, aircraft as well as bus ticketing, and a digital application form.
From a simple enrollment in the app, you can add numerous types of debit/credit cards. You can also receive 1 point as a reward after making a bill payment of Rs 100.
In terms of security, PrabhuPay uses two-factor verification (pin and fingerprint) to ensure that no one can simply hack into users’ applications.
5.EnetPay
EnetPay is also another e-wallet in Nepal that accepts digital payments. E-Net Payments Private Ltd is the company behind it.
EnetPay, like its counterpart, allows mobile top-ups, digital TV payments, and other utility payments. Users may also book bus, cinema, and airline tickets using the site. Multiple banks have been added within the payment gateway to facilitate financial transfers. To make payments, the app contains a built-in QR code scanner.
Despite the fact that it was created in 2014, the service has failed to stay up with the tough competition from other similar platforms. They have prizes as well as discounts on payments, but they aren’t wealthy enough to appeal to a large number of people. To compete with other popular digital wallets, it needs a better user interface, additional functionality, and payment choices.
In addition, online payment will work on a unique reward platform, where it will return to the customer the fees it receives from suppliers. As a result, the customer will be able to receive discounts for payments made for each and every service.
6. Moru
Moru is a relative newcomer to the Nepalese fintech scene, which is gaining traction these days. It’s just two years old, yet it’s been terrifyingly threatening its peers. Pay Nep Private Limited created it with the goal of providing clients with an easy-to-use digital payment experience. Moru is Nepal’s sixth digital wallet to be approved by the Nepal Rastra Bank, and it has the third biggest paid-up capital of all the digital wallets, at Rs 60 million. It’s getting a lot of attention because of its lucrative refer-and-earn program. Moru has surpassed 100,000 downloads before even entering its second year of existence. It also includes an open-ended API-based integrated platform for all BFIs and payment systems when it comes to security.
Despite the lack of variety in payment alternatives, Moru has some fantastic incentives as well as reward points in the plates it serves to its customers. The top-of-the-line technologies, user-friendly UI, and free registration, bank transfer, and bill payment options are the icing on top.
7. iPay Nepal
I Pay Remit Pvt.Ltd is a remittance company that was founded on November 4, 2011 with the goal of facilitating a rapid, inexpensive, and safe money flow from international boundaries to Nepal. The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has granted the firm a license under the Companies Act of 2006. iPay is a muncha.com goods service that deals with online buying in Nepal. Muncha.com acts as a go-between for customers and merchants when it comes to online buying. The app is compatible with both Android as well as iOS.
Customers can use the iPay service to pay their telephone, energy, internet, and other utility bills. With the addition, in just a few clicks, one may purchase recharge cards and premium mobile phones. Domestic carriers such as Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Simrik Air, and Saurya Airlines accept iPay for flight bookings. Customers may also purchase cinema tickets, bus tickets, and manakamana temple tickets via us. iPay may also be used to pay bills from a variety of online retailers. They are also planning on adding more services, such as insurance company payments, school/college fees, and so on. iPay is a secure and convenient method to pay and receive money online.
There are a few more mobile wallet service companies.
Aside from the digital wallets listed above, Nepal has a plethora of additional digital wallet service providers, including DigiPay, QPay, Pay Well Nepal, as well as many others. In recent days, QPay has grown in popularity, with more customers downloading and using its services. With the help of IMS, a new payment service called CellPay has been established (Samsung distributor). A slew of the latest technological payment platforms, including one from CG, are also being introduced.
