Hyderabad-based startup Viona Fintech has received approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to operate as a third-party application provider (TPAP).
This approval allows the company to enter the fast-growing Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ecosystem.
The fintech firm, which develops GramPay and Viona Pay apps, stated on September 8 that this approval will help accelerate its efforts to expand digital payments across India’s Tier II, Tier III, and rural markets, in partnership with banks.
Supporting Farmers, Shopkeepers, and Families
Ravindranath Yarlagadda, Founder of Viona Fintech, said, “This approval reflects NPCI’s confidence in our fintech applications to make UPI payments more accessible to farmers, shopkeepers, and families.”
He added that the company focuses on creating secure and simple financial tools for both urban and underprivileged communities.
As part of its vision, Viona is also introducing a Farmers Market within GramPay, allowing farmers to connect directly with buyers for fair pricing, faster settlements, and better access to the UPI ecosystem.
Meeting the Needs of Rural India
Viona’s GramPay platform caters specifically to the digital payment needs of rural India, helping farmers, small merchants, and local communities perform digital collections, payments, and UPI transactions.
The platform also encourages rural e-commerce and financial literacy through a network of village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs).
