eSewa, a pioneering force in shaping Nepal’s digital payment ecosystem, has officially entered its 17th year. As we celebrate this milestone, let’s look back at our journey, recent achievements, and the vision that continues to guide us forward.
History and Background
eSewa began its journey in 2009 with a clear mission: to digitalize payments in Nepal. What started as a secure and accessible digital payment solution has today become a household name, with over 15 million downloads across the Play Store and App Store.
Over the years, eSewa has expanded from utility bill payments and mobile top-ups into travel, insurance, remittance, and merchant solutions, mirroring Nepal’s growing digital adoption. Licensed by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), eSewa now serves more than 10.8 million users worldwide, supported by 280,000+ authorized representatives, 560,000+ merchants, and partnerships with 49+ banks and financial institutions.
This journey has been shaped by the trust of users, the support of partners, and the dedication of a team committed to turning challenges into opportunities.
Driving Digital Transformation guided by our Brand promise: सबै. सधैं. सँगै.
At the heart of eSewa lies its brand promise - सबै. सधैं. सँगै. It defines our purpose and guides every step of our journey. Staying true to this promise, eSewa is transforming everyday financial transactions through secure, instant, and accessible digital payments.
From bill payments and money transfers to QR payments and online shopping, eSewa simplifies daily transactions while reducing reliance on cash and long queues. With features such as seamless QR payments, intuitive interfaces, and value-added benefits, eSewa delivers smooth and rewarding experience for users across the country, helping bridge the financial access gap between urban and remote communities.
At the same time, eSewa is growing together with merchants by enabling easy adoption of digital payments, expanding customer reach, and improving operational efficiency to businesses. From small local shops to large enterprises, merchants benefit from wider customer reach, reduced cash-handling risks, and more streamlined operations. In doing so, eSewa continues to support Nepal’s broader digital economy by promoting cashless transactions, transparency, and formal economic growth.
Recent Innovations and Achievements
Over the past year, eSewa has continued to strengthen its ecosystem by enhancing user experience, expanding service categories, and reinforcing trust and security across the platform. A key milestone this year was the expansion of cross-border payment capabilities through the Alipay+ collaboration.
Building on existing UPI-enabled payment acceptance for Indian visitors via the Fonepay–NPCI partnership, this collaboration opens eSewa Business QR to international wallets from across Asia and Europe. Nepali merchants can now accept global payments through a single QR, simplifying transactions for visitors while accelerating digital commerce, tourism, and financial inclusion across Nepal.
Alongside this, we also introduced eSewa Circle, a significant step in simplifying shared payments for everyday use. With eSewa Circle, users can create groups, manage shared expenses, and handle peer-to-peer transactions more efficiently within the eSewa ecosystem, reflecting eSewa’s focus on socially relevant, user-centric innovation.
New Products and Features
On the occasion of 17th anniversary, eSewa introduced eSewa Talkback, a voice-based accessibility feature that reinforces its commitment to सबै. Designed for visually impaired users, Talkback enables independent and confident app usage through clear audio guidance and voice navigation. Available in both Nepali and English, this feature marks a meaningful step toward inclusive financial independence.
To deliver a payment experience users can rely on सधैं, eSewa also launched Intent-Based Payment, simplifying how payments are made on merchant apps and websites. By eliminating repetitive gateway logins, MPIN entries, and broken flows, users can securely authenticate using their registered biometric login on the eSewa app, ensuring fast, smooth, and dependable transactions.
Reflecting the spirit of सँगै, eSewa further introduced eSewa Circle Chat, bringing conversations directly into the payment journey. Recognizing that money in Nepal is closely tied to relationships and trust, this feature allows users to talk, plan, remind, and settle payments within the app, making financial interactions more connected and human.
Continuing Forward
Seventeen years is not just a milestone; it is a reminder of how far we have come and how much more we can achieve together. As eSewa steps into its 17th year, our commitment remains unchanged: to empower Nepal’s digital economy with solutions that are inclusive, reliable, and built for the future.
To our valued customers, merchants, partners, and team - thank you for being part of this journey.
Here’s to continuing forward, सबै. सधैं. सँगै.
