The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% fee on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 for merchants, effective October 15, sparking strong opposition from political parties and traders. Despite accusations of foreign influence and demands for a rollback, the finance ministry and top functionaries have stated there will be no reversal, citing the need for a self-sustaining digital payments ecosystem.
For millions of Indians, this number has become one of the most important financial indicators. It can influence not only whether a bank approves a loan but also the interest rate you pay, the credit limit you receive and, in some cases, how quickly your application is processed.
Making UPI payments fee-based for some transactions could enhance mental reservations against digital payments -- which have largely been overcome -- once more. Do we want to regress?, asks R Jagannthan.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced its 'Payments Vision 2028' document, outlining initiatives to enhance digital payment security, introduce electronic cheques, and expand regulatory oversight to include e-commerce entities.
NPCI International and Uzbekistan's NIPC have partnered to enable UPI payments across Uzbekistan, allowing Indian tourists, business travellers, and students to make instant merchant payments using the UZQR code. This agreement, approved by RBI and CBU, integrates UPI with Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO, facilitating direct P2M payments from Indian bank accounts and reducing reliance on foreign exchange or international cards.
A frozen phone screen, a fake customer-care call, a screen-sharing request or even a duplicate SIM can give cybercriminals a route into your bank account.
PhonePe has launched the 'RuPay On-The-Go' Card, a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) aimed at digitising transit payments across India. The card enables quick, tap-and-pay transactions on NCMC-enabled services like metros, buses, and trains, even without internet connectivity.
Do not share OTPs, PINs, authentication codes, card numbers, card verification values (CVVs), KYC details, security answers, Internet-banking passwords or Aadhaar-based authentication credentials through SMS, e-mail or phone calls.
Phishing sites mimicked SBI, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank to steal card details and OTPs.
Credit card transactions in India have surged over 2.6 times between 2021 and 2025, driven by private sector banks, while debit card usage declines due to growing adoption of UPI and digital wallets, according to an RBI report.
India's UPI International payment system is now playing a crucial role in humanitarian efforts, enabling seamless disaster relief donations from Indian users to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund, showcasing its growing global acceptance and utility beyond tourism. UPI IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Unsplash Key Points UPI International, initially for Indian tourists, is now facilitating disaster relief donations to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. The embassy of Nepal in India is actively encouraging Indian users to utilise their UPI apps for these contributions. This marks a significant shift, expanding UPI's cross-border use case beyond tourism to include inbound collection for foreign governments. The move positions UPI International alongside global payment giants like Alipay+ and UnionPay for international aid. Donors need to activate the UPI International feature on their apps to transact, with amounts converted from INR to NPR.
Credit card adoption is rapidly expanding beyond India's major metropolitan areas into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, driven by increasing incomes, digital awareness, and the integration of RuPay credit cards with UPI, according to a new report by SBI Card.
Credit card transactions in India have surged over 2.6 times between 2021 and 2025, reaching 570 crore volumes and Rs 23.2 lakh crore in value, with private sector banks significantly increasing their market share, according to a recent RBI report.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has partnered with Airtel Payments Bank to launch co-branded RuPay National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC), enabling seamless payments across various transit networks nationwide.
India's UPI system continues its rapid growth, dominating retail payments. Recent amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act allow for targeted Merchant Discount Rates (MDR) on high-value merchant transactions, aiming to create a self-sustaining revenue model for the ecosystem while keeping P2P and low-value payments free. This move could generate significant revenue and encourage ecosystem participation.
BJP MP Raghav Chadha addressed the 12th IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, highlighting India's digital transformation journey. He emphasised how technology is widening access and promoting inclusion, citing UPI's success, affordable data, and robust data protection laws. Chadha also discussed India's digital cooperation with Uzbekistan and the importance of digital rights, safety, and skill development for all citizens.
A think tank, GTRI, has urged India to resist US pressure regarding its UPI policies, advocating for competition, policy autonomy, and a sustainable payments ecosystem. This comes as the Lok Sabha passed a bill allowing charges on UPI, and the US has criticised India's digital payment systems, raising concerns about the future of India's digital payment landscape.
Sashidhar Jagdishan, the managing director and CEO of HDFC Bank, has announced his decision not to seek reappointment and will retire at the end of his current term on October 26, concluding a six-year tenure marked by significant regulatory and governance challenges, including RBI restrictions, a major merger, and scrutiny over alleged illegal payments.
The investigation into the murder of pharmaceutical trader Vineet Manocha has intensified, with his son Subrat now under police scrutiny. New evidence reveals that the alleged shooter made multiple calls to Subrat from a newly purchased SIM card. While Subrat's wife Shalu and two others are already arrested, police are examining call detail records and financial affairs to uncover Subrat's potential involvement in the conspiracy.
List all unavoidable expenses such as rent, groceries, transportation, education and medical bills.
The Enforcement Directorate has seized handwritten notes and digital evidence during searches related to former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter, Veena T. The agency alleges these notes detail fund transfers to Dubai and amounts handled beyond her known income, linking her to a money laundering probe involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and her defunct company, Exalogic Solutions. Political leaders have condemned the probe as a vendetta.
A think tank, GTRI, has urged India to resist US pressure regarding its UPI policies, advocating for the defence of competition, policy autonomy, and the long-term sustainability of its payments ecosystem. This comes as the Lok Sabha passed a bill allowing charges on UPI transactions, a move GTRI suggests should not be influenced by foreign trade complaints.
The Reserve Bank of India has updated its e-mandate framework, allowing card issuers to map existing mandates to reissued cards and clarifying rules around transaction limits and customer grievance redressal.
Mizoram has long maintained one of the country's strictest prohibition regimes.
Anthropic has introduced Rupee-denominated pricing for its Claude AI assistant in India, making its Pro and Max plans more accessible to one of its largest user communities. This move, alongside the opening of its Bengaluru office and increased revenue, highlights Anthropic's growing focus on the Indian market, a sentiment echoed by rival OpenAI.
The CPI(M) has strongly opposed the Union government's proposal to levy charges on UPI transactions, calling it a "breach of public trust" and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the legislation. The party highlighted that the government had previously promoted UPI as a free public utility, encouraging widespread adoption, and now seeks to monetise this infrastructure. They also linked this move to a broader trend of increasing banking charges.
Harshala Chandorkar of CIBIL on why you must not delay your credit card payments
As in the past, it is up to the merchants to decide if they will bear the burden of the charge or bill it to the customers. Subhomoy Bhattacharjee reports.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal highlighted the critical need for India to diversify its services exports beyond the dominant IT/ITeS and professional services sectors. Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2026, he emphasised the vast potential in the global financial services market, where India currently holds a small share, and stressed how fintech solutions, like UPI, can drive growth, reduce remittance costs, and support MSME trade finance, ultimately leading to sustainable economic expansion.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed several measures to develop a more conducive framework for the long-term growth of Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), including enhanced transaction security and clearer rules on refunds and grievance redressal.
The most financially successful borrowers will not necessarily be those who have the easiest access to credit. They will be the ones who understand how to manage it wisely
'First-time applicants may witness longer approval times or higher rejection rates and requests for more documentation.'
Flipkart-backed Scapic Innovations, operating as super.money, has launched splitStore, a credit-linked e-commerce platform targeting Gen Z. It allows customers to split payments into interest-free installments, with the goal of contributing 20% to total revenue by December and transforming how India shops by providing instant access to products for new-to-credit users.
A 20-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posing as an employee of a digital payment platform and duping shopkeepers in East Delhi by claiming to check defective sound boxes.
An Indian national, Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, has been arrested and charged in the US for his alleged role as a "money mule" in a multi-million-dollar internet and telephone fraud scheme targeting elderly victims. Goswami, a Gujarat native, was detained in Canada while attempting to flee to Qatar, facing charges including wire fraud and money laundering.
'Users should protect their savings goals before allocating money to discretionary expenditure.'
Mastercard and Visa are introducing passkeys that will allow users to authenticate card payments with face scans or fingerprints, eliminating the need for one-time passwords (OTPs).
'RuPay' is developed by National Payments Corporation of India.
Banks and oil companies are in discussions as to who should bear these charges, it said a day after averting a crisis that would have hit millions of people as oil pump owners threatened to stop taking card payments.
Jio Payments Bank introduces UPI-based cash withdrawals at business correspondent touchpoints, enhancing financial inclusion and simplifying access to cash for rural and semi-urban customers.
