In this episode of Innovators Playground, Dilip Asbe, MD and CEO, NPCI, sits down with Rajan Bajaj, Founder and ED, slice, for a candid conversation on how a fintech company is rethinking banking itself, from core technology and credit models to AI, UPI, and population scale design.

Here is what the episode dives into:

What it means to build a banking stack in house:
A rare inside look at why slice chose to build its core banking stack in house, how microservices change speed, resilience, and cost economics, and what traditional banks underestimate when they rely on monolithic systems

Why building for the first time users creates the best bank for everyone: How designing credit, onboarding, and risk systems for first time and small ticket users forces fundamentally better product, underwriting, and automation decisions that scale effortlessly to mainstream and affluent users as well

How Credit via UPI is converging into a new financial primitive:
Why Credit card on UPI is not just a new feature but a structural shift in how India will distribute credit, reduce acquisition costs, expand merchant acceptance, and bring hundreds of millions into formal credit for the first time

Where AI actually matters in banking at scale:
Beyond hype, how AI is already replacing large parts of operations, risk checks, customer service, and repayments, and why voice led, multilingual, AI driven interfaces will define the next phase of banking for India

🎧 A must listen for engineers, product leaders, and fintech founders building for India’s next decade of growth.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this channel by the host and guests are for informational and entertainment purposes only, and do not constitute professional advice. The content provided does not claim to be exhaustive and does not cover all aspects of the topic discussed. Host and Guests do not necessarily subscribe the opinions expressed. Viewers are advised to conduct their own research and seek professional guidance for any specific concerns or questions.

In this episode of Innovators Playground Podcast by NPCI, Dilip Asbe, MD and CEO, NPCI, speaks with Lalit Keshre, Co Founder and CEO, Groww, on how Groww built for scale using time tested open source, why simplicity takes constant defence, and what smart tech choices look like when growth is fast and stakes are high.

Here is what the episode dives into:
✅ Open Source as a growth engine: How Groww’s platform was built on time tested open source foundations like Kubernetes and Kafka and why reliability and security demand proven communities over shiny new tools
✅ First principles of tech choices: Why Groww invested early in in house infrastructure and microservices, what they learned from distributed monolith complexity, and how they corrected course
✅ Protecting simplicity at scale: How Groww uses a platform layer that standardises core services for multiple product pods, helping teams ship fast without each team rebuilding resilience from scratch
✅ India’s DPI story and what comes next: A founder’s perspective on how Aadhaar, digital onboarding, KYC, and UPI enabled Groww’s journey and why the next wave will be shaped by engineering talent, platforms, and responsible inclusive innovation

🎧 Tune in for a conversation that blends engineering depth with founder clarity on what it takes to build products and platforms for India at scale.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this channel by the host and guests are for informational and entertainment purposes only, and do not constitute professional advice. The content provided does not claim to be exhaustive and does not cover all aspects of the topic discussed. Host and Guests do not necessarily subscribe the opinions expressed. Viewers are advised to conduct their own research and seek professional guidance for any specific concerns or questions.

In this episode of Innovators Playground Podcast by NPCI, we welcome our first global guest, Alex Chriss, President and CEO of PayPal, in a wide-ranging conversation with Dilip Asbe, MD and CEO, NPCI, on the future of global commerce, AI-led experiences, trust at scale, and the next stage of cross-border payments.

Here’s what the episode dives into:

✅ Building a Borderless Economy – How PayPal enables $2 trillion+ in annual movement and solves for trust, safety, and regulation across 200+ markets

✅ NPCI International × PayPal Partnership – How PayPal’s partnership with @NPCI International, through the integration of @UPI with @PayPal World, can lower friction, expand access, and create new pathways for consumers and small businesses worldwide

✅ Rise of Agentic Commerce – Why AI-led shopping, personalised journeys, remote MCP servers, and verified catalogues will change how people buy and sell

✅ Stablecoins – How the evolving digital currency frameworks can make cross-border payments faster, cheaper, and more transparent

✅ Leading at Global Scale – Balancing innovation and stability while supporting 40M+ merchants and navigating fraud, customer protection, and instant money movement

🎧 Tune in to explore how NPCI and PayPal are shaping a more connected, efficient, and intelligent payment ecosystem for the world.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this channel by the host and guests are for informational and entertainment purposes only, and do not constitute professional advice. The content provided does not claim to be exhaustive and does not cover all aspects of the topic discussed. Host and Guests do not necessarily subscribe the opinions expressed. Viewers are advised to conduct their own research and seek professional guidance for any specific concerns or questions.