Note on RBI circular for Framework for Geo-tagging of Payment System Touch Points

Framework for Geo-tagging of Payment System Touch Points

1. Introduction

Geo-tagging Meaning

Geo-tagging refers to capturing the geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) of payment touch points deployed by merchants to receive payments from their customers. It is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as a geotagged photograph or video, websites, SMS messages, QR Codes or RSS feeds and is a form of geospatial metadata.

1. Digital payment transactions carried out by customers using payment touch points are :
   1. (i) Banking infrastructure
   2. Example- Bank Branches, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) / Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs), Cash Recycler Machines (CRMs).
   3. (ii) Payment acceptance infrastructure
   4. Example- Points of Sale (PoS) terminals, Quick Response (QR) codes deployed by banks / non-bank Payment System Operators (PSOs), etc.

2. Applicability

Capturing payment touch point details

1. Use of geo-tagging to capture the locational data of acceptance infrastructure would be subject to the following guidelines :
   1. (i) Banks / Non-bank PSOs shall capture and maintain geographical coordinates for all payment touch points
   2. (ii) Geo-tagging information in respect of the following shall be submitted to the Reserve Bank :
      1. 1. PoS terminals
      2. 2. Paper-based / Soft QR Codes

3. Compliances

Reporting guidelines

1. Information that shall be reported by banks / non-bank PSOs and procedure therefor is detailed below :
   1. (i) Information to be submitted to Reserve Bank
      1. A. All banks / Non-bank PSOs shall maintain a registry with accurate location of all payment touch points across the country, including the following information :
         1. 1. Merchant-related information – General merchant details & Merchant location details
         2. 2. Payment acceptance infrastructure details – General payment touch point details & Payment touch point location details
      2. B. Reporting requirements and methodology
         1. 1. All banks / Non-bank PSOs shall report information on payment touch points to the Reserve Bank through the Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) of RBI. Reporting of information shall be in .txt / CSV file format.
         2. 2. Reporting of information shall be in .txt / CSV file format.
         3. 3. Banks / Non-bank PSOs shall report two files :
            1. (i) File 1 containing details on the merchants acquired / on-boarded by the banks / non-bank PSOs; and
            2. (ii) File 2 containing details on the payment touch points deployed by the acquired / on-boarded merchants
         4. 4. Banks / Non-bank PSOs deploying payment touch points shall report to RBI :
            1. (i) Details of all existing payment touch points deployed (as per timeline indicated by RBI);
            2. (ii) Details of additional touch points as and when deployed, within seven calendar days from operationalisation / activation of the terminal;
            3. (iii) Updates and changes pertaining to the existing payment touch points shall be reported within seven calendar days from date of updation / modification

Banks / Non-bank PSOs shall be provided with a facility to access / download the data relating to information reported by them.