In-depth review
IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card
A virtual, digital-first RuPay card issued against an existing IDFC FIRST credit card, built to put UPI spends on a credit line. Rewards are deliberately thin — 3 points per ₹200 (~0.4%) on UPI spends above ₹2,000, 1 per ₹200 below — and it carries a ₹199 fee, not lifetime free. Judge it as a convenience add-on, not a rewards card.
Read the full review →Key features
What this card is built to do — the highlights that actually matter.
Welcome Benefit
~₹200 in vouchers, points or cashback in year one — usually conditional on a first spend within 30–90 days
1.5 points/₹100 on Online Shopping (~0.38% value)
3 RP per ₹200 (~0.4%) on UPI spends above ₹2,000; the denominator is ₹150 when the primary card is a FIRST Private, Ashva, Mayura, Diamond Reserve or FIRST Business; each point is worth ₹0.25
0.13% on Other
1 RP per ₹200 (~0.13%) on UPI spends below ₹2,000 and on utility & insurance transactions (per ₹150 on FIRST Private, Ashva, Mayura, Diamond Reserve and FIRST Business primaries)
Zero Forex Markup
Use abroad without extra charge — swipe internationally like you do domestically.
UPI Linked
Pay UPI QR codes from your credit line. What UPI payments earn can depend on the app you pay through, so check the rewards details.
For existing IDFC FIRST cardholders who want to route UPI spends through their credit line and earn a small return, chiefly on UPI transactions above ₹2,000.
Full reward structure
What you earn on every rupee, per spend category — as of 11 Oct 2026. Rates assume 1 pt = ₹0.25. How we value points →
| Category | Type | Rate | Monthly cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Shoppingonly at UPI transactions above ₹2,000 (via BHIM, Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and other UPI apps) | reward points | 0.38%1.5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Other | reward points | 0.13%0.5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
Online Shopping: 3 RP per ₹200 (~0.4%) on UPI spends above ₹2,000; the denominator is ₹150 when the primary card is a FIRST Private, Ashva, Mayura, Diamond Reserve or FIRST Business; each point is worth ₹0.25 · UPI transactions above ₹2,000 (via BHIM, Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and other UPI apps)
Other: 1 RP per ₹200 (~0.13%) on UPI spends below ₹2,000 and on utility & insurance transactions (per ₹150 on FIRST Private, Ashva, Mayura, Diamond Reserve and FIRST Business primaries)
Earns nothing on: Fuel · Cash Advances · EMI Conversions
These spends earn no rewards at all — not a reduced rate, and not the base rate. They are also normally left out of any milestone or fee-waiver calculation.
Fees & charges
The numbers that matter beyond rewards — verify on the issuer site before applying. Fees below are shown inclusive of 18% GST, as of 11 Oct 2026.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹235 |
| Joining fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹235 |
| Forex markup | 0% |
| Reward redemption fee | ₹99 |
Should you get it?
- Best for: Existing IDFC FIRST cardholders who want to put UPI spends on credit, Users who make frequent UPI transactions above ₹2,000
- Entry tier — great for first-time and lower-spend users.
- Strongest value if you spend heavily on everyday spends (0.13% back; 0.38% only at UPI transactions above ₹2,000 (via BHIM, Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and other UPI apps)).
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Pay by UPI on credit from BHIM, Google Pay, PhonePe or Paytm
- Fully digital — usable instantly after approval, no physical card needed
- 3 RP per ₹200 (~0.4%) on UPI spends above ₹2,000
- ₹200 welcome cashback that roughly offsets the first-year fee
✕ Cons
- Rewards are thin — about 0.4% at best, and only on UPI spends above ₹2,000
- Not lifetime free — a ₹199 joining and ₹199 annual fee apply, plus a ₹99 fee per reward redemption
- Issued only as a companion to an existing IDFC FIRST card, sharing its credit limit
Eligibility & documents
Documents required
- 📄Existing IDFC FIRST Bank credit card
- 📄PAN card
- 📄Aadhaar / valid address proof
How to redeem rewards
Ways to convert what you earn into real value.
- 🎁Statement credit / cashback adjustment at ₹0.25 per point (₹99 fee per redemption)
- 🎁Online rewards catalogue (vouchers, merchandise)
What your IDFC Reward Points are worth
Realistic value per point by redemption route — the difference is what most people leave on the table.
Never-expiring points
Brand & e-gift vouchers
Rewards are thin (~0.4% at best, and only on UPI spends above ₹2,000), it is not lifetime free, and it is issued only as a companion to an existing IDFC FIRST credit card sharing that card's limit.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Digital RuPay earn?
Who can get it, and what charges apply?
Is it lifetime free?
What is the welcome benefit?
How does it work?
How has the IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card changed over time?
Has the IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card been devalued recently?
When did the IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card's fees last change?
How did the IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card change in 2026?
The bottom line
The Digital RuPay is a companion card, and it should be judged as one. If you already hold an IDFC FIRST card and want the convenience of paying by UPI on credit, it does that cleanly and the ₹199 fee is roughly rebated in year one by the welcome cashback. The rewards are deliberately modest — about 0.4% at best, on UPI spends above ₹2,000 — so this is about convenience, not earning. Do not expect it to carry a wallet on its own.
How this page was built
Counted from this card’s own record: 2 earn rules, 1 paid only at named merchants and the spends listed as earning nothing.
Last updated 11 Oct 2026.
Sources & verification
Fees, reward rates, and benefits for the IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card are taken from IDFC FIRST Bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) and fee schedule — see the card's official page. Last updated 11 Oct 2026. Reviewed by Devchandra Sah. Always confirm current details on the issuer's site before applying. How we research →
Independence. CardAdvisor is an independent editorial publication. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or authorised to act for IDFC FIRST Bank. All issuer names, product names, and payment-network marks are the property of their respective owners and appear here for identification and comparison only. Card faces shown on this site are our own original illustrations — we do not display or host issuer card artwork or logos.
Similar & related cards
Other cards worth comparing before you apply.
AU Prathama Credit Card
Lower annual fee, similar tier
AU Bank Xcite Credit Card
Comparable AU option
Shoppers Stop HDFC Bank Credit Card
Comparable HDFC option
Snapdeal BOBCARD Credit Card
Comparable BOB option
ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Credit Card
Comparable ICICI option
RBL Bank SalarySe UP Credit Card
Comparable RBL option
Read more
Guides and reviews related to this card.
Value timeline
Every real-world change to this card's rewards, fees and benefits we've tracked — newest first, each linked to its source.
Tracking since 2023 · last change Sept 2026
2026
- ▲ FeeEffective 9 Sept 2026
Forex markup removed
1% to 3.5%, depending on the card→0% (nil)
IDFC FIRST Bank stopped charging a markup on foreign-currency spends on all its credit cards from 9 September 2026, the effective date its letter to cardmembers gives. Its Key Fact Statement dated 15 September 2026 lists the markup on foreign-currency and currency-conversion transactions as nil, with no card-by-card exception, where the January 2026 edition charged 3.5% on most cards and less on a few (1.99% on the FIRST Select, 1.5% on the FIRST Wealth, 1.49% on the IndiGo card and 1% on the Ashva). The same letter says international spends stop earning reward points from 26 October 2026 on most IDFC FIRST cards; that is recorded as its own change.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ RewardEffective 18 Jan 2026
Earn re-pegged: 1 point per ₹200 for the lifetime-free family
1 reward point per ₹150 for all eligible primaries→1 point per ₹200 when attached to Millennia/Classic/Select/Wealth/Family/WOW!/WOW! Black/Business Multiplier; ₹150 retained for Private/Ashva/Mayura/Diamond Reserve/FIRST Business
IDFC FIRST's January 2026 portfolio re-peg reached the FIRST Digital RuPay companion: its UPI earn is now defined as 1 reward point per ₹200 of spend when the primary card is one of the lifetime-free family, while premium primaries keep the ₹150 denominator. The companion's own page publishes the per-primary split.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
2023
- ◆ LaunchEffective 7 Dec 2023
IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay launched
IDFC FIRST Bank launched the FIRST Digital as a virtual RuPay credit card powered for UPI, issued as an addition to an existing IDFC FIRST credit card and sharing that card's limit and statement — existing cardholders could apply on consent with no fresh documentation, following the RBI's approval of RuPay credit cards on UPI. Launch terms: 3X reward points on UPI transactions above ₹2,000 and 1X below, never-expiring points redeemable for cash, a welcome offer of 100% cashback up to ₹200 across the first four UPI transactions within 15 days of issuance, up to 48 interest-free days, and linkage to Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and BHIM. Joining and annual fee ₹199 + GST.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
Each change links to the issuer's own document — bank T&C, MITC, notice, press release or product page — where one is public. Where the bank published nothing, it's marked CardAdvisor Research and verified against the card's current terms. Independent of the live terms shown above. This timeline is one card's slice of our market-wide change record across every tracked card.
</> Embed this timeline on your site
Free to use. Facts only — dates, changes and before/after values. Please keep the credit line below the frame: it's the only part search engines can see, and it's what we ask for in return.
“ Cite this timeline
Quoting a date or a before/after figure? Copy the HTML version — it credits the record with a working link.
Source: <a href="https://cardadvisor.in/cards/idfc-digital-rupay#value-timeline">IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card value timeline</a>, CardAdvisor (CC BY 4.0).
Want to know if this beats your current card for your spending?
Applications are submitted to and decided by IDFC FIRST Bank. CardAdvisor does not issue cards or process applications.