How to Pay Contractors
in India
Pay India-based contractors via IMPS, UPI, NEFT. Average settlement: < 2 hours.
India Payment Overview
Indian Rupee · INR
How You Pay in India
You fund in USD, stablecoin (USDC/USDT), or BTC. Your contractor in India chooses how they receive it. Bitwage handles the conversion and routing.
Compliance screened
Optimal rail selected
Payment Rails Available in India
Choose the right rail for each contractor. Click for full setup instructions.
IMPS
Immediate Payment Service — RBI-regulated 24/7 interbank transfer up to ₹5 lakh.
Fees: 0.5–1%
UPI
Unified Payments Interface — India's real-time payment standard linked to VPAs and mobile numbers.
Fees: 0–0.5%
NEFT
National Electronic Funds Transfer — RBI batch settlement running in half-hourly cycles.
Fees: 0.5–1%
How Bitwage Works in India
Bitwage connects your USD balance to India's local payment infrastructure. You fund once, we route to each contractor via their preferred rail.
Fund Your Balance
Deposit USD into your Bitwage Balance. No need to pre-convert to INR.
Add Contractors
Enter each contractor's payment details — CLABE, IBAN, wallet address, or local account number. Or upload a CSV.
Execute & Settle
Bitwage locks the FX rate, converts, and routes via IMPS. You get a settlement confirmation for every payment.
Compliance Notes
Foreign payments into India are regulated under FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act). Contractors receiving foreign income should file a 15CA/15CB declaration. Bitwage screens all payments against OFAC and RBI watch lists.
FX Considerations
The INR is a managed-float currency. Bitwage locks the USD/INR rate at execution, ensuring contractors receive the exact rupee amount quoted at the time of payment approval.
Key Terms
Paying Contractors in India FAQ
Common questions about INR payments, local rails, compliance, and FX.
UPI is the fastest rail, settling in seconds. IMPS is an alternative for bank-to-bank transfers outside UPI. Both are supported by Bitwage and protected by our fx rate lock at the time of execution.
Contractors sign up on Bitwage, complete KYC, and link their Indian bank account or UPI VPA (Virtual Payment Address). Bitwage handles FEMA-compliant routing. See contractor payments for the onboarding checklist.
Yes. Contractors who prefer stablecoin payouts can receive USDC to an EVM wallet. This is an alternative to INR deposits and gives them dollar-denominated exposure. Note that Indian tax authorities require declaration of all foreign income, including crypto receipts.
Wise supports INR transfers but charges per-transfer fees and has limited batch support. Bitwage enables batch payment across IMPS, UPI, and NEFT in a single CSV upload. See our wise for a full fee breakdown.
Bitwage routes payments through a licensed payment intermediary compliant with FEMA inward remittance rules. Contractor-level KYC is collected during onboarding, and all transactions are stored in an auditable ledger backed by our fbo custody structure.
Ready to Pay Contractors in India?
Fund your Balance once. Pay via IMPS in < 2 hours.