Finance Glossary

A savings account from Fino Payments Bank focused on digital banking for unbanked and semi-urban customers, with basic banking features and UPI support.

A card from a fintech issuer like Slice, OneCard, or Uni.

A premium lounge for first class travellers.

A bonus on the first purchase.

The first transaction on a new card.

Fraud committed by the cardholder themselves, such as disputing a legitimate transaction with no intention to pay.

An Indian measure of debt obligations.

The most premium airport lounge within a credit card's lounge programme, offering the highest standard of amenities and located at major Indian and international airports.

A limited-time accelerated earning promotion on a credit card, offering a higher reward rate for a short window such as a few hours or days.

A short-duration discounted sale.

A flat percentage cashback on all eligible spends.

A credit card benefit that reimburses meals, accommodation, or provides a fixed payout when your flight is delayed or cancelled.

Rewards on flight bookings.

A gift card or voucher redeemable on Flipkart, offered as a milestone benefit by co-branded credit cards.

A co-branded credit card issued by HDFC Bank in partnership with Flipkart, offering accelerated cashback on Flipkart purchases and select partner merchants.

A voucher redeemable on food delivery or dining.

A fee for using ATMs abroad.

A fee on international transactions.

A synonym for the forex markup charged on international transactions.

A credit card feature that waives or reduces the foreign currency markup fee charged on international transactions.

Converting an international transaction into rupee instalments with a built-in currency conversion margin.

Extra charge on foreign currency transactions.

Waiver of currency conversion fees on international transactions.

A fee for international ATM cash withdrawal.

A TDS certificate issued by your employer showing your salary income and tax deducted.

A consolidated tax statement showing all TDS, TCS, and tax payments credited to your PAN.

A notification of suspected fraud.

An automated system that monitors card transactions in real time and flags suspicious activity for review.

A card benefit that reimburses the cardholder for unauthorised or fraudulent transactions charged to their credit card.

The party — issuer, cardholder, or merchant — responsible for bearing the financial loss when a credit card transaction is fraudulent.

Financial loss due to fraud.

Rule-based fraud detection logic.

One free credit report per year from each of the four RBI-licensed credit bureaus in India.

A trial period without charges.

A wallet and UPI payment app.

A self-employed person with variable income who can qualify for credit cards using ITR and bank statements.

An airport lounge accessible to elite members of airline frequent flyer programs, offering food, drinks, and workspace.

Disputing a legitimate transaction to get a refund while keeping the goods.

A rebate credited to a credit cardholder's account for fuel purchases, often structured as a percentage of the transaction amount.

Points redeemable for fuel.

A monthly or per-transaction ceiling on the reward points or cashback earned on fuel purchases made with a credit card.

Accelerated reward points or cashback on fuel station purchases, often paired with a fuel surcharge waiver that offsets the transaction fee.

A surcharge on fuel purchases via card.

Maximum waiver benefit per billing cycle.

A voucher redeemable at fuel stations.

Paying your credit card's total outstanding balance by the payment due date, avoiding all interest charges.

Exploiting credit card reward structures or loophole transactions to maximise benefits in ways that may violate card terms.

A fraud alert triggered when a credit card transaction is made from a location that does not match the cardholder's normal spending pattern.

Blocking transactions from specific regions.

A CIBIL score between 750 and 799, indicating a low credit risk and access to most card products.

A fee waived as a customer service gesture.

A UPI-based payment app.

Interest-free window between statement and due date.

The interest-free period between statement date and payment due date when full payment avoids all interest.

The process of resolving credit card complaints, from bank to Ombudsman.

A fee for filing a formal complaint.

An accelerated reward rate offered on supermarket and grocery store purchases made with a credit card, in India and internationally.

The total reward value before taxes and fees are deducted.

Goods and Services Tax — a single indirect tax on most goods and services in India.

GST applied on annual and processing fees.

The percentage rate at which GST is charged on goods and services in India, currently set at 0%, 5%, 18%, and 40%.

A fee for bringing a guest to a lounge.

A complimentary or paid airport lounge visit made by a guest accompanying the primary cardholder, subject to the card's guest policy.

A credit check that affects your score.

A co-branded credit card issued by HDFC Bank in partnership with Amazon Pay, offering accelerated cashback on Amazon.in and Amazon Pay partner transactions.

India's largest private sector bank by assets and market capitalisation, offering a wide range of credit cards from lifetime-free to super-premium.

HDFC's super-premium card.

HDFC's entry-level rewards card.

HDFC's cashback card.

An HDFC mobile payment app.

HDFC Bank's mid-tier reward points card with complimentary airport lounge access in India and abroad.

A 4% cess levied on your income tax plus surcharge, used to fund public health and school education initiatives.

A credit card fee not prominently disclosed in marketing materials or the application form, appearing only in the detailed cardholder agreement.

An underrated high-value card.

A person with significant investable assets — typically upwards of ₹1 crore — who qualifies for premium and super-premium credit cards in India.

A cardholder with a strong relationship with a bank, qualifying for premium cards, relationship managers, and exclusive benefits.

Redeeming points for high-value options.

A standard landscape-oriented card design.

A loyalty currency for a hotel program.

Using points for free hotel stays.

Accelerated reward points or cashback earned on hotel bookings made with a co-branded or general credit card, often with complimentary stay benefits.

A hotel chain that accepts point transfers.

A non-earning spouse eligible for add-on credit cards based on the primary cardholder income.

HSBC's cashback card.

A multinational bank operating in India that offers credit cards across the Visa and Mastercard networks.

HSBC's official mobile banking app for accounts, payments, and credit card management in India.

HSBC India's premium credit card with flat rewards and airport lounge access.

Lounges at Hyderabad.

A leading Indian private bank.

ICICI Bank's mid-tier card with accelerated rewards on dining and entertainment, plus complimentary lounge access.

ICICI Bank's credit card designed for new-to-credit applicants with relaxed eligibility criteria and entry-level benefits.

ICICI's entry-level card.

ICICI Bank's digital wallet app for payments, money transfers, and account management.

ICICI's premium card.

A fraud where a criminal uses a person's stolen personal and financial information to open accounts, make purchases, or obtain credit in their name.

IDFC FIRST Bank is an Indian private sector bank formed by the merger of IDFC Bank and Capital First, offering a range of credit cards and digital banking services.

IDFC First Bank's mid-tier credit card offering solid reward earnings on everyday categories with fee waiver on moderate annual spend.

IDFC First Bank's range of credit cards issued on the Mastercard network, known for competitive reward rates, low fees, and digital-first service.

IDFC FIRST Bank's entry-level credit card with rewards on everyday spending.

IDFC's mid-tier card.