To protect people from online banking scams, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a strong step.
It has made it mandatory for all banks to shift their websites to a verified domain — .bank.in — by October 31, 2025.
This comes after a rise in fake banking websites and phishing attacks that have tricked thousands of customers across the country.
With this move, the RBI aims to make it easy for users — even first-time digital banking customers — to identify real bank websites at a glance.
Online Scams on the Rise
The RBI’s latest report shows a worrying trend — bank frauds worth ₹36,014 crore were reported in FY25, almost three times higher than the previous year.
More than half of these were related to digital and online payments, and the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed that Indians lost about ₹7,000 crore to cyber scams in just the first five months of 2025.
Criminals often create fake sites that look almost identical to real ones — for example, changing “sbi.co.in” to “sbi-online.co”.
Many people fall for these tricks and end up losing money and trust in online banking.
Why the New .bank.in Domain Matters
The new .bank.in domain is a seal of authenticity.
It’s not open to everyone — only RBI-licensed banks can use it.
The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) is the only authority that can issue these domains, ensuring no fake banks slip through.
So from now on, it’s simple: if a bank website doesn’t end with .bank.in, it’s not real.
This system also brings India in line with international standards, similar to the .bank domain used by banks worldwide.
It’s a big step toward safer digital banking for everyone.
One Rule for Safe Banking Online
By October 2025, all major banks will switch to their .bank.in domains.
For users, remembering one thing will be enough — always trust websites that end with .bank.in.
With this change, the RBI is not just fighting fraud — it’s building a safer, more secure future for digital banking in India.
