eNews
Recordable optical disc market may reach 4,224m units by ’25: Report
MUMBAI: The recordable optical disc market is expected to demonstrate a CAGR of -5.6 per cent during the forecast period and reach 4,224 Mn units by 2025. Wide-ranging product types such as CD, DVD and Blu-Ray Disc are products that cater to large data storage demands across numerous industries thus generating a desirable market for recordable optical discs.
This is according to Future Market Insights (FMI)’s latest report titled, “Recordable Optical Disc Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015 – 2025”.
Key market participants covered in the report include Sony Corporation, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd., Hitachi Maxell Ltd., Imation Corp., CMC Magnetics Corporation, RITEK Corporation, Moser Baer India Limited, Falcon Technologies International L.L.C. and Singulus Technologies.
Globally, demand for recordable optical discs is declining at a rapid rate; however, cutting-edge innovation along with increasing awareness about data security and storage are expected to boost the demand for advanced optical discs in the near future.
According to an FMI analyst, “Global demand for optical storage disc market is declining due to the rapid adoption of new technologies such as cloud storage, Internet of Things (IoT) and Video on Demand (VOD). However, globally, increasing demand for archival solutions and positive outlook for the media and entertainment industry is expected to create significant demand for recordable optical discs in the near future.” The analyst added that major players in the recordable optical disc market are dedicated to invest into research and development (R&D) activities. This investment is majorly focused on product advancement that can be used for storing large amounts of data for longer durations. From a regional perspective, North America was the largest market for recordable optical disc, accounting for 41.4% market share in 2014. This region continues to dominate the market and the trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. Among countries, Japan and China are projected to play important roles due to the presence of key players. From end-user perspective, the media industry is projected to show a CAGR of -4.3% in terms of volume, during the forecast period. Increasing demand for archival solutions, the media and entertainment industry presents a positive market opportunity for the recordable optical discs.
Factors driving the recordable optical disc market are increasing consumer inclination towards recording HD broadcasts, growing demand for content protection and widening applications of the optical discs. However, stiff competition from other media storage devices and cloud-based storage services and high raw material costs restrain the growth of this market.
The global recordable optical disc market is segmented on the basis of region, product type and end-users. Product type includes CD, DVD and BD. CD is further sub-segmented into CD-R (audio type and data type) and CD-RW.
On the basis of end-users, the market is segmented into media industry, healthcare, educational institutes and others (manufacturing industry, telecom, BFSI, etc.). Key regions covered in the report include North America, Latin America, Western Europe (EU5), Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan and the Middle East & Africa.
eNews
PNB partners Kiwi to launch credit-enabled UPI for users
Targets 180 million customers; RuPay card offers 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent cashback
MUMBAI: Swipe, tap, or scan credit is quietly slipping into the rhythm of everyday payments, and Punjab National Bank wants in on the action. The state-run lender has partnered with Kiwi to roll out credit-enabled UPI payments for its 180 million customers, marking a significant push to blend traditional banking with India’s fast-evolving digital payments ecosystem.
At the centre of the collaboration is the launch of the PNB Kiwi Credit Card on the RuPay network. The card is designed with a digital-first approach, offering fully online onboarding and seamless integration with UPI, allowing users to transact via scan-and-pay while accessing credit.
The offering also brings in a rewards layer, with cashback ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent on online transactions, positioning the product as both a convenience play and a spending incentive.
The move comes as UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape, increasingly blurring the lines between debit-led transactions and credit access. For PNB, which operates over 10,000 branches around 60 per cent in semi-urban and rural areas, the partnership signals a targeted effort to extend formal credit to segments that have traditionally remained underserved.
The collaboration also reflects a broader industry shift, where banks and fintech platforms are converging to embed credit directly into payment flows, reducing friction while expanding access.
With RuPay credit cards gaining traction and UPI evolving beyond peer-to-peer transfers, the PNB–Kiwi tie-up positions both players at the intersection of scale, accessibility, and the next phase of digital finance in India.
