Ixigo is developing a voice payment feature for travel bookings, currently under compliance review with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI's Authentication Mechanisms Directions, 2025, mandate two distinct factors for domestic digital payments, including one dynamic factor such as a one-time password (OTP). Ixigo aims to enable voice payments while adhering to these rules, ensuring user authorization for every transaction, the company confirmed this week, according to medianama.com.
Group CEO Aloke Bajpai explained that the technical challenge is minimal, but meeting RBI's safeguards is complex. Voice commands lack an automatic audit trail unlike traditional tap payments, so Ixigo plans to back each voice transaction with verifiable proof of user consent. The RBI directions allow for either a dynamically generated factor or one "capable of being proven," such as biometrics. Ixigo is exploring whether a voiceprint can qualify as such a factor, enabling compliance without bypassing security protocols.
The RBI's 2025 rules do not prescribe specific technologies but require strong authentication for non-card-present payments. Ixigo's approach reflects broader industry efforts to innovate payment methods while maintaining regulatory compliance. The company could also use agent-assisted payments where the user receives an OTP, fulfilling the two-factor requirement. This development aligns with India's push for secure digital payments and could influence future voice-based transaction models.
Ixigo's voice payment feature remains under regulatory review, with the company seeking to finalize a compliant solution. The RBI's Authentication Mechanisms Directions took effect in 2025, setting the framework for such innovations. Ixigo's next public update on the feature's rollout is expected after regulatory clearance, as reported by medianama.com.