Payment Issues Related to the Reserve Bank of India

Updated
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Due to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations, recurring payments made with Indian cards require additional verification. This article explains how these rules affect your DataCamp subscription and how to complete your payment successfully.

Great news for Indian customers! 

✨  As of May 26th, 2026, new customers for India and Brazil will be able to purchase in their local currency (INR and BRL), which can help with local regulations to make the transactions faster and easier.

For customers who made their purchase before May 26th, 2026, charges will still take place in USD if purchased through the website. Please take a look at the information below for troubleshooting. 

Overview

  • DataCamp bills subscriptions in USD  (applies to customers who purchased before May 26th, 2026).
  • Indian cards must comply with the RBI e-mandate process for recurring payments.
  • Some banks and cards may decline payments if they don’t support mandates in foreign currencies like USD.

What is an e-mandate?

An e-mandate is an electronic approval system required by the RBI to allow automatic recurring charges.

What steps are involved?

  • New users: Must complete OTP verification during the first purchase. New purchases will be made directly in INR
  • Existing users: Must re-verify their card to create an e-mandate. (Purchases made before May 26th, 2026 and their renewals will continue to be charged in USD). 
  • Before each recurring payment, banks send a pre-debit notification at least 24 hours in advance.
    • For payments below ₹15,000 INR, no extra action is needed.
    • For payments above ₹15,000 INR, you must give consent manually.

Note: Banks will not process the payment without your consent if required.

Why do payments fail?

Common reasons for payment failure include:

  • Incorrect card details
  • Insufficient balance
  • The card does not support USD transactions (this applies to customers who first purchased before May 26th, 2026). 
  • Bank does not support e-mandates in foreign currencies
  • Payment method was edited during processing

What if the e-mandate is not getting prepared?

If the e-mandate setup is stuck or not completing, here are the common causes:

  • Incorrect card or personal details
  • Card does not support recurring USD payments
  • Bank does not support e-mandates in foreign currency
  • Insufficient funds in your account
  • Technical timeout from the bank's side

What to do:

  • Try a different browser or clear your cache
  • Ensure your card is enabled for international and recurring transactions
  • Wait and try again after a few hours
  • Or, subscribe via the DataCamp mobile app, which uses INR billing

Can I retry the payment?

If money hasn’t been deducted:

  • Wait at least 48 hours before trying again.
  • Retrying too soon or changing your payment method can cause the transaction to fail.

How long does Indian payment confirmation take?

  • Indian payments can take up to 48 hours to confirm.
  • This delay may occur because of:
    • Bank-side processing
    • Required user consent
    • Foreign currency routing (USD)
  • Do not change your payment method during this time.

What should I do if I make a payment but it’s not confirmed?

  • Wait up to 48 hours for confirmation.
  • Check for any bank messages requesting approval.
  • If not confirmed after 48 hours:
    • Contact your bank first.
    • Then contact DataCamp Support with the ARN (Acquirer Reference Number) from your bank.

Recommendation for Indian users

  • New Indian customers are now able to purchase their subscription directly in INR.
  •  If after trying the purchase, the transaction is still getting declined: for better success, purchase through the mobile app:

These platforms also use local INR billing via Apple or Google, improving approval rates and avoiding e-mandate restrictions.
 

Banks and cards supporting transactions through the new RBI e-mandate process. 

If your payment has been declined, you can add a new payment method from the accepted cards/banks list. 
We'll continue updating this list as more issuers begin supporting the e-mandate process.

Bank Name Financial Company
Visa Mastercard

Diners
Credit Card Debit Card Credit Card Debit Card Credit Card Debit Card
HDFC Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
ICICI Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Axis Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
SBI Cards Yes No Yes No No No
Kotak Mahindra Cards Yes Yes No No No No
The Federal Bank Yes Yes No No No No
State Bank of India Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
DC HDFC Bank No No No No Yes No
IDFC First Bank Yes Yes Yes No No No
HSBC Yes Yes Yes No No No
IndusInd Bank Yes Yes Yes No No No
Paytm Payments Bank Yes Yes Yes No No No
Standard Chartered Bank Yes Yes Yes No No No
Canara Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
RBL Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
BOB Financial Solutions Yes No Yes No No No
SBM Bank (India) Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Yes Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
The South Indian Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Bank Of Baroda Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Union Bank Of India Yes Yes No Yes No No
DBS Bank India Yes Yes No No No No
Citibank Yes No Yes Yes No No
Equitas Small Finance Bank No Yes No No No No
DCB Bank No Yes No No No No
Indian Overseas Bank No Yes No No No No
IDBI Bank Yes Yes No No No No
Rupay Credit Super Platinum Yes No Yes No No No
Rupay Credit Platinum Yes No Yes No No No
AU Small Finance Bank Yes Yes No No No No
Jammu & Kashmir Bank No No No Yes No No
Bank Of India Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
City Union Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Central Bank Of India No Yes No Yes No No
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank No Yes No Yes No No
Karnataka Bank No Yes No No No No
Indian Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
CSB Bank Yes Yes Yes No No No
UCO Bank Yes Yes Yes No No No
Rupay Classic No Yes No Yes No No
Punjab National Bank Yes No Yes Yes No No
Bank Of Maharashtra Yes Yes No No No No
South Indian Bank Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Deutsche Bank AG Yes Yes Yes No No No


Additional Notes

  • Pending Charges: Declined transactions may show as pending. These typically disappear within 5 days.
  • Unavailable Payment Methods: UPI, RuPay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal are currently unavailable for Indian subscribers.
  • Subscription Expiry: If your renewal fails, your learning progress is saved. You can resubscribe anytime to resume.
  • Payment confirmation: Payment confirmation may take up to 48 hours.