India’s digital economy is poised for a transformation in cybersecurity with the Reserve Bank of India’s new guidelines, set for 2026, which advocate for risk-based authentication models over traditional SMS-based OTPs. This shift to a zero-trust architecture aims to enhance user confidence by allowing personalized security thresholds and adaptive checks based on transaction context, thereby improving fraud prevention without compromising user experience. As banks and fintechs invest in these innovative security measures, the rising cybersecurity budgets reflect the urgency of building resilience against evolving threats, particularly with the integration of AI technologies. This strategic evolution underscores the vital need for robust cybersecurity as a business enabler in a rapidly digitizing landscape, ultimately fostering a more secure digital environment for consumers and enterprises alike.