NPCI, Backed by Indian Central Bank, Initiates Blockchain Hiring

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an initiative led by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and 247 Indian banking institutions, is seeking an experienced blockchain technologist to lead and investigate opportunities for blockchain in modern payment systems.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India’s homegrown immediate payment system that facilitates interbank peer-to-peer and person-to-merchant transactions.

A recent job posting on LinkedIn confirmed NPCI’s ongoing efforts to employ a blockchain leader.

NPCI’s job posting for a head of blockchain. Source: LinkedIn

The optimal candidate will be a seasoned technologist with at least six years of experience in developing and implementing blockchain, whose primary responsibility will be to identify “venues where blockchain-driven solutions can be implemented.

Additionally, the senior leadership position requires an in-depth technical comprehension of multiple blockchain platforms and at least two pilot blockchain project experiences.

The success of the UPI in strengthening the Indian payment landscape has piqued the interest of other jurisdictions. Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, France, the Benelux countries, Nepal, and the United Kingdom have adopted UPI to varying degrees.

Infusing blockchain elements into the UPI can potentially expose the technology to millions of users in an instant, thus reaffirming the capability of the underlying technology that has continued to fuel Bitcoin for nearly 14 years.

At the time of writing, there were over 200 applicants for the NPCI position. Once viable blockchain use cases are uncovered, NPCI’s blockchain hiring effort is anticipated to increase soon.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom decided in August to employ four senior investigators for its Complex Financial Crime Team to investigate crypto-related crimes.

Job posting for digital assets investigators. Source: National Crime Agency

The investigators will be entrusted with pursuing organized crime groups that commit high-end crypto fraud, money laundering, and other blockchain-based crimes.

The United Kingdom has been working to establish an investigative unit dedicated to illegal cryptographic activities. The NCA established its digital assets team on January 4, signaling a greater emphasis on crypto assets.