Indian businesses are no longer thinking local first. Today, a manufacturer in Surat sells to Europe, a SaaS founder in Bengaluru charges customers in the US, and a freelancer in Jaipur gets paid by clients across continents. Cross-border payments have quietly become a daily reality for Indian businesses.
As global demand for Indian products and services grows, so does the need for a payment infrastructure that is fast, reliable, and compliant.
In a significant step forward, Razorpay has received the Reserve Bank of India’s Payment Aggregator, Cross Border (PA-CB) licence. This licence allows Razorpay to facilitate both inward and outward cross-border payments under direct regulatory oversight.
In simple terms, it strengthens how Indian businesses collect money from the world, and how money moves across borders, safely and at scale.
Key Takeaways
- Razorpay has secured the RBI’s PA-CB licence, enabling regulated cross-border payment facilitation.
- Indian businesses can accept payments in 130+ currencies from international customers.
- Built to support exporters, SaaS companies, freelancers, D2C brands, and global firms entering India.
- One platform for payments, compliance, and infrastructure for global money movement.
What the RBI PA-CB Licence Means
Cross-border payments come with more complexity than domestic ones. Different currencies, regulations, reporting requirements, and settlement processes all need to work together seamlessly.
What is a Payment Aggregator Cross Border (PA-CB) licence?
A PA-CB licence is issued by the RBI to entities authorised to facilitate cross-border payment transactions for merchants.
For businesses, this means:
- Payments are routed through a regulated, RBI-approved platform
- Clear oversight on how money flows into and out of India
- Better clarity on compliance, reporting, and operational expectations
In short, it brings structure and trust to international payments, something businesses need as volumes grow.
What Razorpay can do with this licence
With the PA-CB licence, Razorpay can now:
- Facilitate inward cross-border payments (money coming into India)
- Facilitate outward cross-border payments (money going out of India)
- Enable this with end-to-end regulatory oversight, aligned with RBI guidelines
Why This Matters for Indian Businesses Going Global
If you’ve ever tried collecting payments from international customers, you know the friction. Delays, failed transactions, confusing checkout experiences, or compliance uncertainty can slow growth.
This licence directly improves outcomes for businesses:
- Faster go-live for international collections and payouts
- Higher payment success rates through optimised checkout flows
- Clearer compliance and reporting, reducing operational guesswork
- Better customer experience for international buyers paying in their preferred currency
Think of an exporter selling handcrafted goods to the US. A smoother checkout and reliable settlement can be the difference between a one-time buyer and a repeat customer.
Did You Know?
Razorpay’s international payments setup supports:
Accepting payments in 130+ currencies~95% success rates on international transactions through optimised flows.
Razorpay Product Spotlight: Razorpay International Payments
The licence enables the foundation. The product brings it to life.
Razorpay International Payments is the layer businesses actually use to collect and pay globally, without stitching together multiple tools.
For Indian exporters, SaaS companies, freelancers, and D2C brands
- Accept payments via cards, wallets, and local bank transfers using familiar methods
- Support multi-currency pricing, improving trust and conversion
- Benefit from higher success rates on international transactions
Whether you’re billing monthly SaaS subscriptions or selling physical goods overseas, the experience stays simple on both ends.
For global companies selling in India
- Go live without setting up an India entity
- Offer UPI, RuPay, EMI, netbanking, and other local methods via a single integration
- INR pricing, OTP-led checkout, and India-first payment flows
- Local support designed for the Indian market
All of this comes together in a single integration designed to simplify how businesses handle international collections and payouts.
Explore Razorpay’s International Payment Solutions
Who Should Use This
Cross-border payments aren’t limited to one type of business anymore.
Built for these business types
- Exporters and service-based businesses
- SaaS and digital product companies
- Freelancers and agencies
- D2C brands selling internationally
- Global platforms expanding into India
Typical cross-border flows supported
- International customer collections
- Marketplace or platform payments
- Vendor payments and refunds
- Subscription renewals
Compliance and Trust
Cross-border payments work best when trust is built into the system.
What “regulatory depth” means in practice
- Clear audit trails for transactions
- Stronger alignment with banks and regulators
- Cleaner, more predictable processes for cross-border operations
This keeps businesses focused on growth, not paperwork.
How to Get Started
Getting started with Razorpay International Payments is designed to be straightforward.
Setup checklist
- Create a Razorpay account and complete business verification
- Enable international payments and configure supported currencies
- Choose your integration type: API or hosted checkout
- Test transactions and go live
- Monitor success rates, refunds, chargebacks, and settlements
Get Started with Razorpay International Payments
Verify your account, enable international payments, choose API or
checkout, test, go live, and monitor settlements and disputes.
Conclusion
The RBI PA-CB licence strengthens Razorpay’s role in India’s global payments ecosystem. For Indian businesses, it means credibility, smoother international collections, and clearer compliance. For global companies, it simplifies entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.
As cross-border becomes the default, not the exception, having regulated, reliable infrastructure from day one isn’t optional; it’s foundational. Razorpay’s PA-CB licence is a step toward making global payments simpler, safer, and more scalable for businesses everywhere.
FAQs
1. What is the RBI PA-CB licence and who needs it?
The RBI PA-CB (Payment Aggregator – Cross Border) licence is a regulatory authorization issued by the Reserve Bank of India for entities that facilitate cross-border payment transactions for import and export of permissible goods and services in online mode. The RBI introduced this licensing framework through a master circular on October 31, 2023, to bring cross-border payment transactions under regulatory oversight.
Who needs this licence
Non-bank entities that provide cross-border payment aggregation services need to obtain approval from the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS) at RBI Central Office. The circular introduced three categories of PA-CB licenses: Export only PA-CB (PA-CB-E), Import only PA-CB (PA-CB-I), and Export and Import PA-CB (PA-CB-E&I). Razorpay has received RBI approval for its cross-border payment aggregator licence.
2. Does this licence allow Razorpay to support both inward and outward international payments?
Yes, the PA-CB licence framework supports both inward and outward international payments. However, entities must maintain separate accounts for inward and outward payments, as these cannot be mixed according to RBI regulations. The PA-CB-E&I category specifically allows entities to process both import and export transactions.
3. Can Indian businesses accept payments in 130+ currencies with Razorpay?
Yes, Indian businesses using Razorpay can accept payments in over 130 currencies. Razorpay’s international payment gateway supports receiving payments in 135 currencies from customers in 180+ countries. Businesses can accept payments through various methods including global cards, Apple Pay, and international bank transfers.
4. Can a foreign company accept payments in India without setting up an India entity?
Yes, foreign companies can accept payments from Indian customers without establishing a local entity in India. Razorpay’s Import Stack enables international businesses to seamlessly accept INR payments without a local entity, addressing regulatory challenges. The platform allows foreign businesses to collect INR payments via cards, netbanking, and UPI while ensuring compliance through partnership with an authorized Indian Payment Aggregator.
5. How do I enable Razorpay International Payments for my business?
To enable Razorpay International Payments, follow these steps:
- Log into your Razorpay Dashboard
- Navigate to “Account & Settings” → “Payment Methods”
- Select “International Payments”
- Click on the “Request” button next to the payment method you want to enable
- Fill in all required details accurately (inaccurate information may result in rejection)
- Click “Submit”
Razorpay’s team will review your application and respond within 5 working days. Once approved, you can immediately begin accepting international payments.
