“Transforming Payments in India: Latest UPI Features That Can Be Used Abroad”

In a significant move towards expanding the reach of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) beyond India's borders, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently lifted the limit on user onboarding for WhatsApp Pay. This development aims to enable millions of users in India to make UPI payments through the messaging platform.

According to the NPCI statement, WhatsApp Pay can now extend UPI services to its entire user base in India with immediate effect, paving the way for a more seamless experience for customers.

Furthermore, payment enthusiasts will be thrilled to know that UPI users can soon use the platform to make transactions abroad. From July 2024 onwards, the Eiffel Tower in Paris has become the first French merchant to accept UPI payments, marking a milestone in the international expansion of UPI. Other countries such as Sri Lanka, Mauritius, UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, and Nepal also accept UPI payments.

To further incentivise users, RuPay JCB credit and debit cards are offering 25% cashback on all international PoS transactions in countries like Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There will be no minimum transaction amount required to receive cashback if the RuPay card is activated for international transactions. Additionally, users can enjoy a maximum of ₹15,000 cashback within a specified period.

NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) or those living abroad can now link their NRO or NRE accounts to UPI, as well as their international numbers, from countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, UK, and the US. This move aims to facilitate cross-border transactions more easily.

The NPCI has also introduced a new feature called UPI One World wallet for international travellers visiting India, allowing them to make payments in India through QR codes using their mobile phones. The wallet can be reloaded and transferred back to the original payment source as per the forex rules.

Furthermore, the NPCI has launched the UPI Circle feature to delegate transactions made to immediate family members. This feature allows users to fully delegate or authorise up to 5 users to make transactions through the bank account of the main user, with features such as transaction limits in place.

This transformation marks a significant leap forward for UPI payments in India and beyond.