RBI mandates banks to complete ‘.bank.in’ migration by October 31, 2025

To boost cybersecurity and enhance public trust in digital banking, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has operationalised a new exclusive internet domain, ‘.bank.in’, for all Indian banks. This follows the announcement made in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated February 7, 2025, aimed at addressing rising cases of fraud in digital payments.

The initiative is designed to reduce cybersecurity threats such as phishing and other malicious online activities. By streamlining secure access to financial services, the RBI hopes to reinforce trust in the digital payments ecosystem.

The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), under authorisation from the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has been appointed as the exclusive registrar for the ‘.bank.in’ domain. Banks wishing to migrate can initiate the process by contacting IDRBT at sahyog@idrbt.ac .in. The institute will assist banks with application procedures and guide domain migration, per the circular on Migration to '.bank.in' domain issued by the RBI on 22 April 2025.

Ankit Ratan, Co-founder & CEO, Signzy, said, "The operationalisation of the ‘.bank.in’ domain marks a significant step forward in India’s efforts to secure its rapidly growing digital financial ecosystem. With this initiative, the RBI is setting a new benchmark in cybersecurity by creating a trusted, exclusive domain that banks must adopt. This move will drastically reduce cyber threats, phishing attacks, and fake banking websites, which have been major sources of financial fraud. This fixed domain will simplify verification for consumers and tech platforms to more easily identify legitimate banking websites and apps. It’s a simple yet powerful mechanism to boost public confidence in digital transactions."

All banks are advised to commence the migration of their existing domains to the ‘.bank.in’ domain and complete the process at the earliest and in any case, not later than October 31, 2025, the circular stated.

"In the long run, this initiative could save the Indian banking sector billions of rupees by preventing fraud and financial losses. It also opens the door to innovations in collaboration with browsers, such as a ‘Financially Secure’ tag for verified banking domains, further safeguarding users. As India’s digital economy expands, such proactive cybersecurity measures are not just welcome—they’re essential," said Ratan.

Looking ahead, the RBI also plans to introduce a separate exclusive domain, ‘fin.in’, to cater to other non-bank entities in the financial sector, further widening the scope of secure digital financial infrastructure in the country.