HDFC Bank launches India’s first mobile app-based digital credit card

PIXEL is a fully digital credit card designed for the mobile-first generation.

HDFC Bank has launched PIXEL, an end-to-end mobile app-based digital credit card which marks a significant milestone for the bank as it ventures into the realm of fully digital financial services tailored for the growing population of digital natives.

According to Ravi Santhanam, Group Head and Chief Marketing Officer & Head – Direct to Consumer Business, and Vidya Pradeep, Senior Executive Vice President at HDFC Bank, PIXEL stands out as a unique product in the Indian market, being the first of its kind.

The credit card is entirely digital, from the application process to the management of the card, eliminating the need for physical visits to branches or even customer service calls. 

“PIXEL is the first of its kind in India for the bank. It was constructed with a thought that we definitely want to look 5-10 years from now as to how customers are applying for the card, how they are making their payments, and how they manage their card. We believe that customers do not want to walk into branches or call customer service,” explained Pradeep. 

She said that the digital transformation embodied by PIXEL is not just about convenience but also about customization. Customers are given extensive control over various aspects of their credit card experience, a feature that HDFC Bank believes will resonate strongly with the modern, tech-savvy consumer base. 

“Customers have flexibility on the card design that they can choose. So, they have a choice of a multi-colored card and the design, and they also have a choice of where they get their cashback—5% cashback on dining or entertainment, on apparel or electronics, and 3% cashback on their favorite merchants. The flexibility extends to the billing cycle, too, where customers can choose what suits their finances best,” Pradeep added.

Santhanam, who has been a driving force behind HDFC Bank’s digital initiatives, emphasized the card’s alignment with the lifestyle and expectations of today’s customers. “There is a generation of customers who live their life on their mobile phones. Why should their card be any different? Can we get the card inside their mobile phone?” Santhanam said. 

The PIXEL card is embedded within the HDFC mobile app, ensuring that users have full control over every aspect of their credit card management. The card can be used both online and offline, with features like tap-and-pay adding to its convenience.

“Two main features are additionally very digital-native. We are going to give the customer the choice of using or choosing the network, whether they want to apply for a Visa card or a RuPay card. The Visa card enables the customer to tap and pay, which is very digital behavior—people want to tap and move on, especially in transit. And if the customer picks a RuPay card, then across India, UPI is very big, so the customer links this card to UPI and is able to scan and pay using a credit card,” Pradeep explained.

Since its launch two months ago, PIXEL has garnered substantial attention. According to Santhanam, the interest levels have surged significantly, with the card receiving over 10 million views from customers eager to learn more about its features. “We launched it two months back, and from the time we had launched, what we have seen is a very high surge in interest levels in terms of wanting to know what the features of the card are all about. We had a very clear plan to do only a social media launch. We have seen more than six times the search in terms of interest towards these card levels compared to the other cards that we have in our portfolio,” he shared.