NEPALPAY Card Launched: Nepal’s National Card Scheme Goes Global with Discover Network

Nepal Clearing House (NCHL) has commercially launched the NEPALPAY Card, Nepal’s national card scheme, in collaboration with Discover® Network. The card, part of the National Payment Switch – National Card Switch (NPS–NCS) project, allows banks, financial institutions, and payment operators to issue cards accepted at ATMs and POS terminals both in Nepal and globally.

Through this partnership, NEPALPAY cardholders gain international access, while Nepali merchants can accept over 378 million global cards. With 34+ banks already participating, the initiative strengthens interoperability, reduces transaction costs, supports data localization, and fosters digital payment innovation. NCHL sees this rollout as a key milestone in modernizing Nepal’s payment systems and advancing the country’s digital economy.