The Reserve Bank of India has not issued any such notification.
These days a post is going viral on the social media claiming that RBI (Reserve Bank of India) will discontinue the circulation of Rs 500 banknotes from ATMs by March 2026.
Let’s check the truth
Fact Check–
At first, we checked the website of RBI and so far, website has not issued any notification or press release regarding this information. The RBI regularly updates all policy changes and notifications on its official website. If the RBI had made such an announcement, news reports would likely have emerged, considering that ₹500 notes are essential for ATM cash disbursement across India.
Apart from this, the fact checking unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Government of India has also refuted the viral claim. PIB tweeted on 02 January 2026 that the viral claim is fake. The tweet states, “RBI has made NO such announcement. ₹500 notes have NOT been discontinued and remain legal tender”. People have been advised not to fall for such rumours and to verify information only through official government or RBI channels before sharing it further.
For further clarification, we contacted RBI’s Kochi headquarters to ascertain the facts of the news. The officials also refuted the viral claim.
In August 2025, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary clarified in the Rajya Sabha that there was no proposal to stop the supply of ₹500 notes. He also confirmed that ATMs would continue to dispense ₹500 notes along with ₹100 and ₹200 denominations.
So, the claim of RBI discontinuing Rs 500 banknotes from ATMs by March 2026 is false, it is clear that the Reserve Bank of India has not issued any such announcements.
Conclusion-
Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral image to be False. RBI is not stopping ₹500 notes from ATMs by March 2026. Reserve Bank of India has not issued any such announcements.
Title:RBI is not stopping ₹500 notes from ATMs by March 2026
Fact Check By: Usha ManojResult: False
