Salapa Bikas Bank Launches SCT-UnionPay Card Service: Boosting Digital Payments
SCT-UnionPay Card Launch
12th December 2025, Kathmandu
SCT-UnionPay Card service is now available to customers of Salapa Bikas Bank Limited, a ‘B’ class licensed bank under Nepal Rastra Bank.
SCT-UnionPay Card Launch
This launch is a significant step forward in enhancing digital payments in Nepal. The card service is operated by Smart Choice Technologies Limited (SCT), which holds the payment system operating license from Nepal Rastra Bank. Customers can now easily get their SCT-UnionPay Cards at the bank, making their transactions easy and secure.
This new service, made available starting Mangsir 16, offers Salapa Bikas Bank customers a simple, affordable, and highly secure method for all their digital transactions.
The move by Salapa Bikas Bank actively supports the national drive for greater digital financial inclusion across the country, particularly in its regional operational areas.
Advancing Nepal’s Digital Transaction Landscape
Smart Choice Technologies (SCT) is aggressively expanding its digital card services nationwide. The company is currently issuing SCT-UnionPay Cards through an extensive network that includes 23 different banks and financial institutions.
This network also extends to over 100 cooperative societies, ensuring modern payment solutions reach a wider population base. SCT powers its comprehensive range of services using its proprietary Smart Switch card switching infrastructure.
This internal system is crucial for enabling smooth, fast, and secure payment processing across multiple platforms. The infrastructure is robust enough to support the issuance of both SCT-UnionPay Cards and VISA Cards.
A Holistic Payment Service Provider
SCT’s role extends beyond just issuing cards. It is a major player in transaction acquiring, accepting a wide variety of international cards through its system.
The Smart Switch platform successfully facilitates transactions for leading global networks, including VISA, RuPay, MasterCard, and Discover Cards.
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This comprehensive acceptance capability is vital in integrating Nepal’s domestic payment ecosystem with the broader international financial network.
For over twenty years, SCT has been a pioneering force in Nepal’s electronic finance sector. As the country’s first domestic card scheme, it has maintained a strong commitment to providing safe, simple, and reliable payment services across Nepal. This enduring presence and dedication have solidified its position as a key enabler of digital finance.
Beyond Card Services: SCT’s Diversified Offerings
Smart Choice Technologies provides a diversified suite of services to its partner banks and financial institutions. These offerings go significantly beyond conventional card services, addressing the full spectrum of modern digital banking requirements.
Smart QR: A service that streamlines quick and effortless QR code-based payment transactions for merchants and consumers alike.
Smart Pay – IBFT (Inter-Bank Fund Transfer): This essential service guarantees seamless, real-time fund transfers between accounts held at different banks within the network.
Smart Banking: An advanced mobile banking solution that offers customers convenient, 24/7 access to their accounts and services from anywhere.
These advanced digital services collectively work to build a more robust and sophisticated national digital payment infrastructure.
The significant addition of Salapa Bikas Bank to the SCT-UnionPay network strongly reinforces the national effort to digitize financial services.
It effectively empowers customers with reliable, modern options for their daily payment needs, ensuring an overall easy and secure transaction experience across all service channels.
For more: SCT-UnionPay Card Launch
