Brand Policy – National Payments Corporation of India
These rules (“Rules”) apply to any party (e.g., a Payment gateway, developer, bank or other NPCI customer) wishing to use NPCI’s trademarks, service marks, logos, word marks, graphics and similar intellectual property
(the “NPCI Brand Assets”) in promotional, advertising, instructional or reference materials, on websites, or in connection with products or services. By using or reproducing a NPCI Brand Asset, you are agreeing
to abide by these Rules which form a binding agreement between you and NPCI. If you are using a NPCI’s Brand on behalf of a legal entity such as your employer, you represent that you have the authority to bind such
entity, and the terms “you” or “your” shall include such entity. If you do not agree to these Rules, you are not authorized to use NPCI Brand Assets.
The Rules are intended to promote consistent use of the NPCI brand. This makes it easier for people to instantly recognize references to NPCI and related products and prevents market confusion. The Rules are also intended
to protect the NPCI Brand Assets, which are valuable assets of the company (NPCI). NPCI dedicates substantial resources to the development and protection of its intellectual property. In addition to seeking registration
of its trademarks and logos around the world, NPCI enforces its rights against people and companies that misuse its trademarks and other NPCI Brand Assets. In following these Rules, you help NPCI protect its valuable
trademark rights from dilution and disparagement while also strengthening the NPCI brand identities.
NPCI TRADEMARKS
The following is a partial list of the trademarks owned by NPCI: NPCI, RuPay, IMPS, AePS, CTS, NACH, NFS, *99#, UPI and the former NPCI and its products’ logos.
OWNERSHIP OF NPCI BRAND ASSETS
You acknowledge that NPCI is the sole and exclusive owner of all NPCI Brand Assets and derivatives thereof and that all goodwill derived from using any NPCI Brand Asset inures exclusively to the benefit of NPCI. You
promise that you will not interfere with NPCI’s rights in the NPCI Brand Assets, including by challenging NPCI’s use, registration, or application to register any NPCI Brand Asset or by registering any NPCI Brand
Asset yourself anywhere in the world.
USAGE RIGHTS
Except for the limited right to use NPCI Brand Assets expressly permitted under these Rules, no other rights of any kind are granted hereunder, by implication or otherwise. You agree that you will not harm, misuse,
or bring into disrepute any NPCI Brand Asset, including by using any NPCI Brand Asset in connection with any unlawful, scandalous or fraudulent activities. You agree to use NPCI Brand Assets in compliance with all
applicable laws, rules and regulatory regimes. If you are a licensee of a NPCI Brand Asset and have been provided with special trademark usage terms in your agreement with NPCI, please follow those terms. If your
agreement with NPCI does not provide usage terms, then follow these Rules. If you have any questions regarding these Rules, please contact NPCI at contact@npci.org.in
UNAUTHORIZED USE OF NPCI BRAND ASSETS
- 1. NPCI Logos: Only NPCI and its authorized licensees may use NPCI logos, word marks, and graphic symbols (including the NPCI mark – Fast Forward) in advertising, promotional and sales materials. If you are
authorized to use NPCI logos in your agreement with NPCI then you must use the NPCI logos only as specified in your agreement (and any associated usage terms) and such use must always include appropriate terms
that define the relationship authorized by your agreement (e.g., integrator, service provider, licensee, etc.). You should not use NPCI logos, marks and images you may have found elsewhere on the web.
- 2. Compatibility and Referential Use: If you are using NPCI products and services you may use NPCI word marks in a referential manner on your website or in printed or electronic promotional/advertising materials
to accurately describe that your product or service is compatible with or utilizes the referenced NPCI product or service (including NPCI and its product technology). Any such use must comply with the following
requirements:
- The NPCI word mark is not part of the name of your product or service.
- The NPCI word mark appears less prominent than the name of your product or service.
- The NPCI word mark is used in a referential manner, using the phrase “powered by.” You may use this “Powered by NPCI” badge on your website or in your product. Download the “Built on NPCI” badges.
- Your product or service is in fact compatible with, or otherwise works with or uses, the referenced NPCI product or service.
- All packaging and marketing and promotional materials for your product or service includes a disclaimer of affiliation with NPCI, similar to the following: “[PRODUCT/SERVICE NAME] is a [PRODUCT/SERVICE]
of [YOU] and has not been authorized, endorsed, sponsored or otherwise approved by NPCI or its affiliates.”
- The reference to NPCI does not create a sense of endorsement, sponsorship, or false association with NPCI or NPCI products or services.
- Your use does not show NPCI or its products or services in a false or derogatory light.
- 3. Events and Publications: You may use a NPCI or ‘National Payments Corporation of India’ word mark in connection with events, seminars, conferences and articles (and related promotional materials) in a
referential manner provided that you comply with the following requirements:
- our use of a NPCI word mark in any title is less prominent than the rest of the title.
Acceptable: ABC Conference Regarding the Promise of Distributed Technologies and the NPCI Protocol.
- Your use reflects favourably on both NPCI and NPCI products and services.
- Your name and logo appear more prominently than the NPCI word mark on all printed and electronic materials advertising or marketing the article or event. To be clear, you may not present NPCI Brand Assets
in a way that makes them the most distinctive or prominent feature of what you’re creating.
- NPCI logos may not be included without NPCI’s written permission.
- A disclaimer of sponsorship, affiliation or endorsement by NPCI, similar to the following, is included on the publication and all related marketing materials: “This [SITE, POST, BLOG, ARTICLE, EVENT, ETC.]
is independent of NPCI and has not been authorized, endorsed, sponsored or otherwise approved by NPCI or its affiliates.”
- A trademark attribution notice is included in a credit section giving notice of NPCI’s ownership of its trademarks.
- 4. Websites: Websites that serve only as non-commercial electronic informational forums concerning payments, banking, virtual currency, blockchain technology, and NPCI products and services may use the appropriate
NPCI word mark in a referential manner, provided that such use complies with the guidelines set forth in Section 3 above.
UNAUTHORIZED USE OF NPCI BRAND ASSETS
- 1. No Registration of Domain Name: You may not register, in whole or in part, as a trademark, domain name or otherwise any NPCI Brand Asset or an alteration or derivative thereof. You may not use an identical
or virtually identical NPCI trademark, in whole or in part, as a second level domain name.
Unacceptable: NPCI-Gateway.com or BestNPCIWallet.org
- 2. Company, Product, or Service Name: You may not use, in whole or in part, any NPCI Brand Asset, or an alteration or derivative thereof, as part of a company name, trade name, product name, or service name.
For the avoidance of doubt, you may not combine any NPCI Brand Assets with your name, marks or generic terms.
- 3. Variations, or Derivatives: You may not modify NPCI Brand Assets in any way, such as by changing a design or colour or adding words or elements. You cannot use a variation, phonetic equivalent, foreign
language equivalent, take off or abbreviation of any NPCI Brand Assets for any purpose without NPCI’s express written permission.
- 4. Disparaging Manner: You may not use NPCI Brand Assets in a disparaging manner. You may not feature NPCI Brand Assets on materials associated with illegal activities (e.g., unlawful trades and fraudulent
schemes).
- 5. Endorsement: You may not use NPCI Brand Assets in a manner that would imply NPCI’s affiliation with or endorsement, sponsorship, or support of your company or its activities, products or services. You
may not use the NPCI Brand Assets in any way that would confuse others as to the relationship between you and NPCI or as to who offers your products or services.
- 6. Trade Dress: You may not imitate or make use of the layout or trade dress of NPCI’s websites, technology, products or advertising. You may not use any trademarks, names, domain names, logos, or other content
that imitates or could be confused with NPCI.
- 7. Copyrights: You may not use any image or copyrighted materials on NPCI’s website, such as charts, graphs, and product descriptions or announcements without NPCI’s express written permission.
- 8. Slogans and Taglines:You may not use or imitate a NPCI and its products slogan or tagline.
STYLE GUIDE AND RULES FOR THE PROPER USE OF NPCI TRADEMARKS
Always spell and graphically represent NPCI’s trademarks exactly as they are shown in the Style Guide Do not shorten or abbreviate NPCI Brand Assets. Do not make up names that contain NPCI Brand Assets.