SBI Card launched a fully digital facility for the Advantage SBI Card on the YONO (You Only Need One) platform of the State Bank of India on 23 September 2026. Eligible customers who hold a fixed deposit with SBI can now apply for this FD backed secured credit card through a 100 percent paperless process in about 10 minutes. The move brings four popular SBI Card variants onto YONO and is aimed at helping new users enter formal credit and build their credit history.
What Is the Advantage SBI Card on YONO?
The Advantage SBI Card on YONO is a fixed deposit backed secured credit card from SBI Card that SBI fixed deposit holders can apply for digitally on the YONO platform. SBI Card launched this 100 percent paperless facility on 23 September 2026, with completion in 10 minutes and no branch visit.
SBI Card inaugurated the new journey in New Delhi in the presence of Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Chairman of the State Bank of India, Ashwini Kumar Tewari, Managing Director of SBI, and Salila Pande, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SBI Card. The launch combines the credit card expertise of SBI Card with the digital reach of SBI. SBI Card has described the facility as part of its focus on digital first journeys that make everyday finance simple and instant.
SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd, known as SBI Card, was set up in 1998 as a joint venture between the State Bank of India and GE Capital. The company is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana and is listed on Indian stock exchanges since March 2020. SBI Card is the largest pure play credit card issuer in India, with around 22.2 million cards in use (as of April 2026).
What Is YONO SBI?
YONO SBI, which expands to You Only Need One, is the integrated digital banking platform of the State Bank of India for mobile and internet banking. YONO lets customers handle savings accounts, deposits, loans, insurance, investments, UPI payments and shopping offers through one app or portal without visiting a branch.
SBI launched YONO in November 2017 with the aim of combining banking, financial products and lifestyle services in a single place. The State Bank of India is the largest public sector bank in India and is headquartered in Mumbai. The bank serves more than 50 crore customers through a network of over 23,000 branches. Existing SBI customers can register on YONO using their internet banking login or ATM card details and then create an MPIN for app login. The platform also supports functions such as opening fixed deposits, checking application status, paying credit card bills and linking an SBI credit card.
What Is a Secured Credit Card and How Does an FD Backed Card Work?
A secured credit card is issued against a fixed deposit held as security with the bank. The bank marks a lien on the deposit, sets the limit as a share of the FD value, and the deposit keeps earning interest while the card stays active.
A fixed deposit (FD) is a lump sum kept with a bank for a fixed period at a fixed interest rate. A lien means the bank locks that deposit so the customer cannot withdraw or break it while the card is active. If the customer fails to pay card dues, SBI can recover the amount from the linked deposit. This security lowers risk for the issuer, so approval does not depend mainly on salary, income proof or past credit score. That is why secured cards suit students, first time users, homemakers and small earners who may not qualify for a regular card.
The credit limit on FD backed cards in India is usually 75 percent to 90 percent of the FD value. For example, an FD of ₹50,000 can give a limit of about ₹37,500 to ₹45,000, based on bank policy. The FD continues to earn its contracted interest during the pledge period. Repayment behaviour on secured cards is reported to credit bureaus such as CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau India Ltd) in the same way as regular cards. Timely payment of the full bill helps build the score, while missed payments harm the score even though the card is secured. After the card is closed and all dues are cleared, the bank releases the lien and the deposit becomes freely usable again.
| Feature | Secured Credit Card Against FD | Regular Unsecured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Fixed deposit acts as collateral | No collateral needed |
| Approval basis | FD value and basic KYC | Income, job record and credit score |
| Income proof | Usually not required | Usually required |
| Credit limit | 75 percent to 90 percent of FD value | Based on income and credit history |
| FD interest | Deposit keeps earning interest | Not applicable |
| Best suited for | New users and low score users building history | Users with stable income and good score |
Four Advantage SBI Card Variants on YONO
SBI Card has placed four secured versions of its existing cards on the YONO platform under the Advantage SBI Card offering. Customers with an SBI fixed deposit can choose the card that best fits their spending pattern instead of accepting a single secured card option. This choice is the main difference from the earlier branch led secured product, the SBI Card Unnati, which was a single basic card linked to a minimum FD of ₹25,000.
| Card Variant | Positioning on YONO |
|---|---|
| SBI Card ELITE | Premium lifestyle card with higher rewards and travel benefits in its regular form |
| SBI Card PRIME | Premium mid range card focused on rewards, dining and lifestyle use |
| SimplyCLICK SBI Card | Online shopping focused card for e-commerce spends |
| SimplySAVE SBI Card | Everyday spending card focused on groceries, departmental stores and savings |
SBI Card has confirmed the names of the four variants and the paperless YONO journey, but it has not yet published the product terms specific to these secured versions. The announcement does not state the minimum FD amount, the exact share of the FD given as credit limit, or the joining and annual fees for each variant. It also does not spell out the rules for FD maturity, partial withdrawal or release of lien after card closure. Applicants should check the live terms on YONO or the SBI Card website before applying, since limit, charges and deposit lock in rules decide the real cost of a secured card.
How to Apply for SBI FD Credit Card on YONO App
SBI Card states that an eligible customer can complete the Advantage SBI Card application on YONO in about 10 minutes. The first condition is that the applicant must hold a fixed deposit with the State Bank of India. The applicant must then log in to the YONO app or portal using SBI internet banking credentials or ATM card details and open the credit card section.
Inside the credit card section the customer can select the Advantage SBI Card journey and choose among ELITE, PRIME, SimplyCLICK and SimplySAVE. The system verifies the linked FD and KYC details digitally and seeks consent for marking a lien on the deposit. Since the journey is paperless, there is no need to submit physical forms at a branch. After approval, the customer can link the new card on YONO, track the application, pay bills and manage limits from the same platform.
Why the Launch Matters for Access to Credit
SBI Card has presented the facility as an entry point into formal credit for people who find it hard to get an unsecured card. Many students, young earners and small business owners have savings in fixed deposits but lack a long repayment record or salary slips. An FD backed card lets such customers use their own deposit as proof of trust and start a repayment record that bureaus can track.
The launch also shows the shift toward instant digital issuance in Indian banking. By moving the secured card journey fully onto YONO, SBI and SBI Card have removed the earlier branch visit and paperwork. The timing ahead of the festive season matters because card applications, online shopping and bill payments rise sharply between September and November. Other large issuers such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank also offer FD backed secured cards, so the YONO facility helps SBI Card retain deposit customers who might otherwise seek a secured card elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- SBI Card launched the digital facility for the Advantage SBI Card on YONO on 23 September 2026.
- Eligible customers with an SBI fixed deposit can apply through a 100 percent paperless process in about 10 minutes.
- The YONO journey offers four secured variants: SBI Card ELITE, SBI Card PRIME, SimplyCLICK SBI Card and SimplySAVE SBI Card.
- YONO (You Only Need One), launched in November 2017, is the digital banking platform of the State Bank of India, headquartered in Mumbai.
- SBI Card, set up in 1998 and headquartered in Gurugram, is the largest pure play credit card issuer in India.
