RBI Releases Final Guidelines for Fintech SRO

May 31, 2024

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) finished the rules for setting up a self-regulatory organization (SRO) for the growing fintech industry in 2023. This is better than the draft guidelines that were first suggested in January, after hearing from people in the business. The RBI wants these SROs to be places where different players in the fintech industry, besides banks, can go to be regulated and represented.

Who Does it Cover?

The SRO is meant to cover a wide range of fintech activities, such as digital loans, peer-to-peer (P2P) services, and account aggregators. It’s important to note that these SROs urge both regulated and mostly unregulated fintech companies to join. The goal is to include a wide range of industry players to make sure that there is full oversight and inclusion.

Mandates and Functions of the SRO

The RBI has set out some important duties for the SRO, such as representing the fintech sector, keeping data safe, following development principles, settling disputes, making sure members follow the rules, and staying separate from outside influences. In addition, the SRO is in charge of controlling risks that could hurt users, like fraud, mis-selling, and transactions that aren’t supposed to happen.

Enforcement and Monitoring

The guidelines stress how important it is for the SRO to effectively oversee and police the rules. This means coming up with basic rules and guidelines for behaviour, as well as strong ways to keep an eye on people and make sure they follow these rules. The SROs should also have ways for people to file complaints. This will help customers and fintech companies talk to each other and work out their problems.

Multiple SROs and Membership

The RBI has allowed the creation of various SROs because it understands that the Indian fintech landscape is diverse. Every financial company needs to be a part of at least one SRO. Because of this, fintech companies can pick an SRO that fits their goals and business model well. But SROs that can’t get enough members could lose their status from the government.

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