BHIM App Appoints MS Dhoni as Brand Ambassador to Drive Next Phase of Digital Payments Growth
The company said the partnership reflects a shared ethos of trust, reliability and consistency, aligning with BHIM’s positioning as “Bharat Ka Apna Payments App.”
NPCI subsidiary aims to boost trust, inclusion and household adoption across India
Mumbai: NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has appointed former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the brand ambassador for the BHIM payments app, marking a strategic push to expand adoption and strengthen user trust.
The move comes as BHIM approaches a decade since its launch and enters a new growth phase focused on scale, financial inclusion and long-term user confidence.
Focus on trust and mass adoption
The company said the partnership reflects a shared ethos of trust, reliability and consistency, aligning with BHIM’s positioning as “Bharat Ka Apna Payments App.”
Lalitha Nataraj, managing director and chief executive officer of NBSL, said the next phase of digital payments growth will depend on deepening user preference and confidence.
“With onboarding MS Dhoni as our brand ambassador, our objective is to position BHIM Payments App not just as a payments option but as the preferred app for each member in the Indian household,” she said.
Dhoni said the platform’s simplicity and accessibility were key factors in his association with the app.
“What stood out to me about BHIM is its focus on making digital payments straightforward and accessible to people across the country,” he said.
Expanding reach beyond urban markets
BHIM has been expanding its footprint across Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, with a strong emphasis on language inclusion and accessibility.
The app currently supports more than 15 regional languages and is optimised for low-connectivity environments, enabling usage in rural and semi-urban areas.
The platform has also introduced reward-based incentives and merchant partnerships to drive user engagement and increase transaction volumes.
Strengthening India’s digital payments ecosystem
NBSL, incorporated in 2024 as a wholly owned subsidiary of NPCI, is focused on enhancing the adoption of digital payments through the BHIM platform.
The app leverages NPCI’s underlying UPI infrastructure to provide secure, real-time digital transactions, contributing to India’s broader push towards a cashless and inclusive digital economy.
Industry observers say the association with Dhoni — widely regarded as a symbol of trust and consistency — could help BHIM strengthen its brand positioning, particularly among first-time digital payment users and households in smaller towns.
The announcement reflects growing competition in India’s digital payments space, where platforms are increasingly focusing on brand trust, user experience and regional reach to drive the next wave of adoption.
