Google Pay has introduced Ask Google Pay, a conversational feature built into its app that uses Google's Gemini models to help users understand their spending and manage their finances. The company has also expanded its Flex by Google Pay credit product through a partnership with SBI Card, launching the Google Pay Flex SBI Card on the RuPay network.
Ask Google Pay: an opt-in financial assistant
Ask Google Pay is designed to address a gap that has persisted despite the growth of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India: while UPI has simplified transaction execution, users have lacked in-app tools to interpret their financial data. The new feature allows users to ask questions about past spending, receive suggestions based on transaction history and credit report data, and access explanations of financial concepts such as systematic investment plans (SIPs) or credit scores.
The tool is opt-in and supports ten Indian languages at launch. According to Google Pay, financial data used by the assistant remains under the user's control, and the information provided is intended for educational purposes rather than as financial advice. The company has not disclosed which Gemini model version powers the feature or provided a timeline for expansion to additional languages.
Flex by Google Pay extends to SBI Card
The Google Pay Flex SBI Card builds on Flex by Google Pay, a credit card experience Google introduced earlier in 2026 aimed at expanding access to credit for retail customers. The new card, developed with SBI Card, operates on RuPay and Visa networks, allowing transactions across both payment rails. Applications can be completed within the Google Pay app without physical paperwork, according to the companies.
The card includes a loyalty mechanism in which users earn Stars redeemable at a fixed rate of one Star per Indian rupee, applied instantly to Flex transactions. Cardholders can also convert outstanding credit card balances into instalment payments (EMIs).
Google Pay has said that Flex cardholders will become eligible for a discounted Google AI Plus subscription, which includes 400GB and 2TB storage tiers, at 50% off for one year, alongside a discount on Google Pixel smartphones. These benefits are described as rolling out at a later stage, with no confirmed date provided.
Market context
The launches reflect continued expansion of India's UPI-linked credit and data-driven financial services market, where technology providers are increasingly layering advisory and credit tools onto payment infrastructure. By combining a Gemini-based advisory feature with a co-branded credit product, Google Pay is positioning itself alongside banks and card networks in offering integrated financial management tools rather than payment processing alone.
