We’re offering easy payment integration via API and plug-ins for enterprises: Phi Commerce’s Rajesh Londhe

Pune-based fintech company Phi Commerce, a unified omnichannel digital payments platform for businesses, is said to be offering secure, scalable, enterprise-grade payment solutions through cloud-native automation and is planning to expand both in India and global markets. Founded in 2015 to tackle cash-on-delivery problems, the company now focuses on solutions for lenders and recently received NPCI certification for its enterprise UPI Switch.

In an interview with TechCircle, Rajesh Londhe, Co-founder and Business Head-Payments, informs that enterprises need full-stack solutions that automate and orchestrate payment workflows, from invoicing to real-time settlement and reconciliation. He also explains how Phi Commerce is preparing to future-proof its offerings through AI, blockchain, and real-time analytics. Edited excerpts:

Phi Commerce positions itself as an enterprise-only payments platform. What does “enterprise-grade” really mean in the context of digital payments today?

Phi Commerce is an enterprise payments platform. In digital payments, "enterprise-grade" signifies platforms meeting the stringent demands of large organisations. Availability, security, compliance, scalability, and performance are crucial. These systems feature high-availability setups, disaster recovery, multi-factor authentication, tokenisation, and compliance with PCI-DSS, RBI's PA guidelines, and seamless integration with global payment rails. They handle high transaction volumes with minimal downtime, provide real-time reconciliation, and operate under strict SLAs. Enterprise-grade systems function as mission-critical infrastructure engineered for operational controls and financial auditability, exceeding typical consumer gateways.

What are the biggest technological expectations enterprise clients bring to the table when they choose a payments partner?

Enterprise clients expect seamless interoperability with existing ERP, billing, CRM, and legacy systems, requiring an API-first, microservices-based architecture. Support for ISO 8583/20022, real-time settlement, smart routing, tokenisation, 2FA, and configurable retry logic are also essential. Additional demands include customizable reporting, campaign management integration, and reconciliation tools. Addressing legacy-system complexity requires connectors or middleware to embed payment flows into existing on-premise or cloud-hybrid back-ends. Ultimately, enterprises value flexible, secure, and modular platforms that integrate within their IT framework, reduce operational friction, and ensure governance and compliance from the start.

How does Phi Commerce's platform align with modern enterprise architecture, especially in terms of API-first design, cloud-native deployments, or security?

Phi Commerce’s platform is built with a modular, API-first architecture supporting cloud-native deployment. Its UPI-Switch systems connect directly to NPCI and global card networks via scalable, containerised microservices. Key capabilities, such as tokenisation, smart routing, dual-factor authentication, and campaign management, are accessible through granular REST APIs, enabling rapid integration across channels. Security features include PCI-DSS compliance, advanced encryption, and the RBI’s Payment Aggregator license, making it suitable for hybrid cloud environments where compliance and service isolation are vital.

Enterprises often work with legacy systems. How does Phi ensure seamless integration and interoperability across such varied tech environments?

Phi employs an API-first, plug-in approach to simplify interoperability, enabling enterprises to integrate payment solutions without system overhauls. By decoupling payment logic from backend platforms, Phi ensures seamless connectivity and offers ready-to-use connectors for NACH, e-NACH, UPI mandates, Aadhaar Pay, virtual accounts, payment links, and complex flows like Split-&-Pay. This integration layer allows enterprises to add Phi’s payment capabilities without disrupting core functionalities.

What role does automation play in helping large enterprises manage recurring payments, reconciliations, and compliance at scale?

Automation is central to enterprise payment operations, including automated invoicing, mandate generation (UPI AutoPay and e-NACH), intelligent retries, settlement, reconciliation, and compliance logging. Phi’s CollectiPhi-360 suite provides features like UPI Auto-Pay, Aadhaar Pay, field-agent apps, split-payments, and immediate payment verification. Real-time reconciliation reduces manual work, while secure processing ensures audit-ready logs compliant with RBI, NPCI, and PCI standards. Automation reduces operational overhead, improves reliability, and supports compliance, transforming payments into a seamless utility.

You serve sectors like logistics, government, and large OTT players. How do their enterprise needs shape your technology roadmap?

Our product roadmap is thoughtfully shaped around the unique needs of each industry it serves. For instance, logistics firms benefit from features like split payments, cash-on-delivery support, and auto-routing; utilities and government bodies require mandate systems, virtual accounts, and seamless tax or bill collection; while OTT platforms and telecom providers prioritise UPI AutoPay, subscription management, and smart retry mechanisms. The Split-&-Pay feature enhances education, insurance, travel, and utility collections. NBFCs gain agent-app driven collections and multi-channel flexibility via CollectiPhi-360. Enterprise demand guides product refinement around sectorised flows, governance, and scalability.

Looking ahead, how is Phi Commerce preparing to future-proof its enterprise offerings, be it through AI, blockchain, or real-time analytics?

Phi Commerce is building a future-ready payments stack, driven by global expansion and strategic partnerships, including its entry into the Japanese market through an alliance with Digital Garage. With the RBI’s Payment Aggregator license and NPCI approval for UPI switches, it is establishing foundations for real-time analytics, ISO 20022 integration, tokenisation, and blockchain-based settlement capabilities. Data-rich monitoring and smart routing indicate readiness for AI/ML in fraud detection, customer insight, and optimised routing. Its modular architecture supports agility, embracing emerging technologies while maintaining enterprise-grade stability and compliance.