Mastercard and City Union Bank are piloting Mastercard One Credential in India, introducing what the company described as the country’s first experience to bring eligible consumer and commercial payment relationships together under a single credential.
The pilot follows new findings from Mastercard’s Dreamonomics Report, which found that 74 per cent of Asia Pacific SMEs are optimistic about the future of their business and 61 per cent frequently experiment with new ideas, yet 69 per cent prioritise predictability and stability, close to the global figure of 68 per cent, said a press release on Wednesday.
Designed for both consumers and SMEs, Mastercard One Credential allows multiple eligible payment relationships to be linked to a primary card, with transactions routed based on preset preferences such as transaction amount and merchant category.
For SMEs, this can help separate personal and business expenses while giving greater flexibility over how payments are funded.
Asia Pacific SMEs already use five business tools on average, with 94 per cent interested in adopting at least one business tool they do not currently use, compared with 89 per cent globally.
Three in four SMEs, or 74 per cent, say integrated tools are critical. SMEs use four payment methods on average for business expenses, including electronic bank transfers at 59 per cent, instant payments at 55 per cent, debit cards at 52 per cent and credit cards at 47 per cent, the press release said.
In India, 63 per cent of SMEs are interested in real-time payments, compared with 51 per cent regionally, 45 per cent are open to flexible digital payment solutions and 39 per cent are interested in a combined credit/debit business card with controls.
Seven in ten, or 70 per cent, of Asia Pacific SMEs say protecting their business from cyber threats is a high priority, yet only 39 per cent currently use cybersecurity tools. Nearly three in four, or 74 per cent, are excited about AI’s potential, and fraud and security protection is the AI-powered capability they most want from a financial provider at 47 per cent.
Mastercard executive vice president, Commercial & New Payment Flows, Asia Pacific, Anouska Ladds said: “Businesses don’t think in terms of payment rails or funding sources. They think about paying suppliers, managing cash flow and keeping operations moving. Every business decision today has a financial dimension. SMEs need payment experiences that fit how they actually operate, giving them the flexibility to stay in control of their working capital, pivot faster to change and adapt to new trends and their customers’ needs.”
The inaugural Dreamonomics Report is based on a 2026 survey of more than 6,000 SMEs across 18 countries, including over 1,000 respondents across Australia, China, India and Indonesia in Asia Pacific.
To see more insights from the Dreamonomics Report, visit: https://www.mastercard.com/sg/en/news-and-trends/featured-topic/small-business-featured-topic.html
To learn more about how Mastercard supports small businesses and the connected system of insights, tools and solutions offered, visit: https://www.mastercard.com/sg/en/business/industry-segment/small-medium-business.html, the press release reads.
