{"id":25666,"date":"2026-02-02T13:43:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T08:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.razorpay.in\/blog\/?p=25666"},"modified":"2026-02-03T11:05:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T05:35:09","slug":"how-global-edtech-companies-can-unlock-indias-30b-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/razorpay.com\/blog\/how-global-edtech-companies-can-unlock-indias-30b-market\/","title":{"rendered":"How Global EdTech Companies Can Unlock India\u2019s $30B Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

India is currently home to <\/span>580 million students<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>900 million internet users<\/span><\/a>, a market larger than the entire population of Europe. In 2026, India stands as the world\u2019s second-largest e-learning market after the U.S.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And in today\u2019s time, digital learning in India is no longer limited to metro cities.<\/span><\/p>\n

With internet access reaching smaller cities and towns, online education is now a routine part of learning for students and young professionals aged 5\u201324. For global EdTech companies, India represents a <\/span>$30 billion market opportunity<\/span><\/a>. Yet for many, including Coursera with its millions of Indian learners, unlocking the market remains difficult because of challenges around local payments, currency clarity, and pricing expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Challenge in India Is Not Demand\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Global EdTechs are not held back by interest. The real barrier is converting that interest into successful payments at scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

International platforms typically struggle with three core friction points in India:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Complex Regulations<\/b><\/h3>\n

Cross-border payments are governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) rules. They dictate how subscriptions, recurring mandates, and settlements must work. For teams new to India, this adds uncertainty and delays.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Low Card Usage<\/b><\/h3>\n

Only 6\u20137% of Indians use credit cards, but most international checkouts are card-first. India is a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-first market, where over 70% of online transactions happen through UPI. Card-heavy flows see significantly lower conversion.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Subscription Failures<\/b><\/h3>\n

India\u2019s RBI e-mandate framework requires users to manually approve recurring payments. Global \u201cauto-renew\u201d systems often break here, leading to churn and failed renewals.<\/span><\/p>\n

The outcome is predictable: high-intent learners drop off at payment, not due to lack of interest, but because the checkout feels unfamiliar, slow, or unreliable.<\/span><\/p>\n

India is a mobile-first, UPI-first market. Global EdTechs that adapt to local payment habits unlock growth quickly, while those relying on traditional card-led playbooks continue to face friction.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the segments seeing high growth in India?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Indian learners are no longer casually exploring online education. They are investing in outcomes jobs, certifications, and competitive exams. In fact, 60\u201370% of India\u2019s paid EdTech spending now comes from career-linked categories such as test prep, professional upskilling, and certification programs.<\/span><\/p>\n