UPI payments: Rising clout – Which countries have adopted NPCI-backed UPI payments so far

The National Payments Corporation of India International Payments Ltd (NIPL) entered into a partnership with European payments facilitator, Worldline to enable payments through the United Payments Interface (UPI).

Under the partnership, Worldline’s QR code-based mechanism will allow merchants’ Point-of-Sale (PoS) systems in Europe to accept UPI payments from Indians using their mobile phones. Later, Indians will also be able to use RuPay debit and credit cards for making payments in Europe.

NIPL is the international arm of NPCI.

Which other countries allow payments through UPI?

On September 13, 2021, NIPL signed an agreement with Singapore-based Liquid Group to enable UPI QR-based payments in 10 countries.

“Liquid Group integrates an extensive network of merchant acquiring partners in the 10 markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan,” the statement read.

It further said that the collaboration would enable BHIM App users to make UPI QR-based payments at over 2 million merchants progressively across North and Southeast Asia from early 2022.

Nepal

Nepal became the first foreign country to deploy UPI. With the collaboration between Nepal’s Manam Infotech and Gateway Payments Service, person-to-person (P2P), person-to-merchant (P2M) and cross-border payments were made operational.

Singapore

In July 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed an agreement with the Monetary Authority of Singapore to implement interoperability between UPI and PayNow.

Bhutan

Bhutan was the first country to accept UPI transactions through BHIM App. On July 13, 2021, UPI was made available to the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Merchantrade Asia, in collaboration with NIPL, allowed sending remittances through UPI in 2021.

UAE

NIPL has partnered with LuLu Financial Holding, Mashreq Bank and Network International in UAE to enable UPI payments. On April 21, 2022, UPI was launched in the country through Mashreq’s NeoPay.

France

Lyra Network signed an agreement with the NIPL, allowing students and tourists to make payments through UPI.

United Kingdom

In collaboration with payment solution provider PayXpert, NIPL announced UPI payments based on QR codes in the UK in August.

Oman

NPCI signed an agreement with the Central Bank of Oman in October to make QR-based UPI payments available in the country.

Europe

NPCI’s agreement with Worldline will enable UPI to penetrate several markets, including Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

In July, the minister of electronics and information technology, Ashwini Vaishnav, said that India is in talks with 30 countries regarding UPI, and three countries have already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). These were France, the UAE and Singapore.

More MoUs are likely to follow soon.