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The evolution of Point of Sale (POS) terminals has been nothing short of transformative in India’s digital payments ecosystem. A notable update from the RBI’s March 2022 Bankwise ATM/POS/Card Statistics Report now shows Payment Gateway (PG) and POS volumes separately—offering better visibility into both segments and helping businesses and stakeholders track developments with more clarity.
One thing is clear: POS terminals are not becoming obsolete. In fact, they are evolving—rapidly—into what many now call Super POS.
Today’s POS devices are far more than just card-swiping machines. They now support a wide variety of payment methods including:
Swipe, Dip, and Tap & Pay
Bharat QR (BQR)
Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS)
Card-not-present payments via SMS pay links
Additionally, when permitted, they can even accept payments from third-party fintech wallets and bank apps. This level of interoperability should be viewed not as competition, but as a strategic move to encourage inclusive digital payment adoption across platforms.
Modern POS terminals also serve as mini smart hubs that can host a range of applications—such as EMI conversions, Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), and more.
Here’s a quick snapshot of how POS terminal deployment has scaled in the past three years:
| Month | Mar-19 | Mar-20 | Mar-21 | Mar-22 |
| Terminal Count | 3,722,229 | 4,433,973 | 4,720,077 | 6,070,142 |
| % Growth | 19% | 6% | 29% |
The numbers speak for themselves—POS terminals are growing both in volume and capabilities.
Going forward, POS terminals will not only get sleeker in design but smarter in functionality. Banks and POS aggregators, when working alongside their issuing counterparts, can develop intelligent algorithms that enable hyper-personalised offers for customers based on factors like:
PIN code
Merchant Category Code (MCC)
Purchase history and spending behaviour
To drive true value, it’s important to look beyond just the payment acceptance part. What can POS do for the merchant’s overall business operations?
Here are a few high-impact VAS possibilities:
OEM or issuer-partner EMI services
Plug-and-play platforms to build an online store
ERP systems integrated with payment solutions
Data-driven credit solutions such as term loans or revolving credit based on transaction volume
Assisted e-commerce models where the POS itself serves as a business console—no laptop needed
The potential is immense. However, the success of these VAS models will depend on three things:
Speed of deployment
Personalised merchant insights and reports
Intuitive, easy-to-use dashboards
As POS technology continues to evolve, businesses need a trusted partner who understands the nuances of acquiring, innovation, and scalability. CARD91 is at the forefront of this evolution, offering end-to-end POS infrastructure solutions that support next-gen payments, value-added services, and smart merchant management tools.
Whether you’re a bank, fintech, or merchant aggregator, CARD91 empowers you to unlock the full potential of the POS ecosystem—today and into the future.
To know more about our offerings connect with our experts
1142, 6th main road, Sector 7, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, karnataka – 560102
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Support: support@card91.io