RBI cancels certificate of authorisation of Vodafone m-pesa

The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday said it has canceled the Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) of Vodafone m-pesa on account of voluntary surrender of authorization. Following the cancellation of the CoA, the company cannot transact the business of issuance and operation of prepaid payment instruments, the central bank said.

However, customers or merchants having a valid claim on the company as a PSO, can approach the company for settlement of their claims within three years from the date of cancellation i.e. by September 30, 2022. Vodafone m-pesa, a Payment System Operator (PSO), had voluntarily surrendered the authorization, it said.

Last year, Vodafone Idea had decided to close m-pesa vertical following the closure of Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd (ABIPBL), with which it was being merged. Vodafone m-pesa was one of the 11 firms that were given payments bank license by the RBI in 2015.