With the start of the new year, common people are likely to feel more financial pressure. Services that were introduced to make banking and digital payments easier are slowly becoming more expensive.
Customers are now being charged extra for many activities such as ATM withdrawals, credit card usage, wallet transactions, and even bill payments.
This trend is expected to continue in 2026, as several major banks and digital wallet companies have announced new charges or increases in existing fees.
ICICI Bank Introduces New Credit Card Charges
ICICI Bank has announced some of the biggest changes. From January 15, 2026, the bank will charge a 2% fee on credit card transactions made on online gaming platforms.
This means gamers will have to pay extra on every gaming-related transaction.
In addition, ICICI Bank will impose a 1% charge on transactions above ₹5,000 when credit cards are used through third-party wallet apps such as Amazon Pay, Paytm, and MobiKwik.
Higher Fees on Credit Card Bill Payments and Reduced Benefits
ICICI Bank is also increasing charges for cash payments of credit card bills. Customers who pay their credit card bill in cash at a bank branch will now have to pay ₹150, up from the earlier ₹100.
Moreover, the free movie ticket benefit on BookMyShow for Instant Platinum credit card holders will end from February 1, 2026. To receive this benefit, customers will now need to spend at least ₹25,000 in the previous quarter.
Digital Wallet Usage Becomes More Expensive
Digital wallet users will also face higher costs. Airtel Payments Bank has announced an annual wallet maintenance fee of ₹75, which will be applicable from January 1, 2026.
If the wallet balance is low, the fee will be deducted from the available amount.
Digital wallets in India were originally launched with the promise of free services. Digital payments began gaining popularity with the launch of Oxygen Wallet in 2004 and Paytm in 2010.
In the early years, most companies offered free services. However, as the number of users increased, companies gradually introduced charges.
From February 2021, MobiKwik started charging maintenance fees on inactive wallets, marking a shift toward paid digital services.
