The rapid expansion of digital payment ecosystems in India, driven by initiatives such as UPI, mobile wallets, and fintech platforms, has transformed financial transactions across both urban and rural regions. However, despite increasing adoption, consumer trust remains a critical determinant influencing sustained usage in rural areas. This study examines the relationship between digital payment ecosystems and consumer trust in rural India, focusing on factors such as perceived security, ease of use, digital literacy, and institutional support. Primary data were collected from 250 rural adult digital-payment users across selected rural areas of Eluru Rural, Bhimadole, Denduluru and Pedapadu mandals in Eluru district respondents using a structured questionnaire. The geographical focus is significant because Eluru has a predominantly rural population, agrarian and commercially active region of coastal Andhra Pradesh. The present study therefore provides a locally grounded perspective on digital financial inclusion rather than assuming that national-level digital payment trends are uniformly experienced by rural households. Statistical tools such as factor analysis, regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed. The findings indicate that perceived security, digital literacy, and system reliability significantly influence consumer trust, which in turn affects adoption and continued usage of digital payments. The study is expected to contribute to the literature by moving beyond a simple technology-adoption perspective and conceptualising digital payment adoption as an ecosystem phenomenon involving technological, behavioural and institutional dimensions. The findings are expected to provide policy implications for strengthening digital financial literacy, cybersecurity awareness, grievance redressal and last-mile digital-payment infrastructure in rural Andhra Pradesh.