PhonePe rebrands Indus Appstore, adds gift cards and digital top-ups

The Bengaluru-based fintech firm says its marketplace now spans more than 200 million devices and will go beyond app discovery to sell digital goods, with a new web store and fresh revenue routes for developers.

PhonePe has renamed its in-house app marketplace, Indus Appstore, as PhonePe Appstore, signalling a move from simply helping users find apps to running a wider marketplace for digital goods and services. The Bengaluru-based company announced the change on Wednesday, along with a milestone: the platform is now present on more than 200 million devices.

Apps and games will remain available, but users can now also buy gift cards and digital top-ups, with offers across categories. PhonePe said it will use its payments infrastructure to make discovering and buying digital products simpler, while giving developers one more channel for distribution and earning.

The company is also launching phonepeappstore.com, a web store where consumers can browse and purchase digital goods from desktop and mobile browsers without installing a separate app.

Reach built through phone makers

Much of the platform’s footprint comes from tie-ups with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), PhonePe said. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana lead in adoption by state.

The catalogue includes apps such as ChatGPT, Duolingo, ShareChat and Sony LIV, and games such as Honor of Kings and Hitwicket. Social, action and simulation titles are among the most popular gaming categories on the store.

Pitch to developers

Priya Narasimhan, Chief Business Officer at PhonePe Appstore, called the rebranding a major milestone that brings the trust and reach of the PhonePe name to the marketplace. “Developers can look beyond simple app discovery and unlock new ways to earn—including ads, gift cards, and top-ups,” she said.

PhonePe is pitching the store as a way for developers to reach a larger audience while tapping its ecosystem for integrated payments, advertising and business insights. The company says the model is meant to help developers promote and grow their businesses with better margins.

A feature pipeline has also been outlined around digital top-ups, which would allow instant purchases of in-game currencies, skins, dating-app boosts and technology-related top-ups. Gaming top-ups are expected to arrive first, though no dates were given.

With the rebrand, PhonePe aims to make the store a single stop for India’s digital lifestyle spending, pairing app and game discovery with payments-led commerce in gift cards, top-ups and other digital produ