UPI & payments
UPI, MDR, wallets, cash and how India pays. 31 posts, newest first.
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UPI at petrol pumps: ₹5 flat, not 0.4%
Whether a UPI transaction at a PetrolPump is of ₹2,000 or ₹20,000, the MDR remains flat ₹5, not 0.4% as advertised by SocialMedia influencers. So what are the potential transactions…
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A finfluencer who mixed up PhonePe's revenue and profit
Sadly that's how Finfluencers make a fool of 'educated' folks on LinkedIn! In Fy 2020, the net loss of PhonePe was Rs 1770 cr, on revenue of Rs 427 cr! In Fy 2026, the net loss is Rs 2792…
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The UPI notice outside the tea shop
“UPI payments will be charged extra due to MDR charges.” I saw a similar notice outside the tea shop near my office. I asked the owner:
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No, UPI MDR won't break the mutual fund industry
“The UPI charge that will break the MutualFund industry!” That's the headline an RIA recently used. And honestly, on the face of it, the concern sounds valid.
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LinkedIn needs a mute button for UPI hashtags
LinkedIn desperately need a feature to block all Posts containing a particular Hashtag! Tired of all the misinformation spread by the influencers on UPI! Need to remove all UPI posts from…
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Ashneer Grover, BharatPe and the UPI MDR noise
UPI got an MDR. AshneerGrover got a field day. Wondered if he would have said the same thing if he were still at BharatPe! But here's the thing:
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What an auto driver taught me about digital payments
A conversation with an Auto driver gave me more insight into DigitalPayments than any conference session. After the ride, he asked me to pay in Cash. I was surprised.
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Heading to Global Fintech Fest 2026
Looking forward to attending Global Fintech Fest 2026 next week at Jio World Centre, Mumbai. India’s fintech ecosystem has come a long way, from UPI and digital payments to embedded…
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UPI MDR: we're debating the wrong problem
Everyone is debating whether UPI should have MDR. I think we're debating the wrong problem. The real question is:
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UPI charges are back, and so are the finfluencers
UPI charges are back in the headlines. And once again...Finfluencers are having a party. "UPI won't be free anymore."
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A little friction can save a lot of money
We all want frictionless payments. But sometimes, a little friction can save us a lot of money. Recently, a friend wanted to check his final restaurant bill after applying offers on the…
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PayZapp's biometric UPI: seamless, with a catch
PayZapp recently introduced biometric authentication for UPI payments below ₹5,000. What it does is make our daily payments more seamless! With biometric authentication:
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The Paytm Payments Bank panic, and what actually changed
Last week was a field day for influencers! Thanks to the regulatory action on Paytm Payments Bank by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), cancelling its banking license. The influencers, as…
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The PM's jhalmuri moment was paid in cash
Recently, during an election campaign in WestBengal, the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji had a “Jhalmuri moment”. The video went viral almost instantly. But one small detail…
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UPI at 10: how PhonePe and GPay built a duopoly
The third post in the series as UPI completes a decade. 👉 How the duopoly was built by PhonePe and GPay! Going back to 2016, around the time of demonetization.
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UPI at 10: the rise and fall of Paytm
As UPI completes a decade, this is the second post in the series. 👉 The story of Paytm There was a time when Paytm was synonymous with the DigitalEconomy in India.
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UPI at 10: two changes that could alter it
As UPI completes a decade, two proposed changes could fundamentally alter how we experience it! 1️⃣ 1-Hour Delay on Transfers (>₹10,000) UPI became what it is because of one promise:…
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India exports UPI, but its tech events say “cash only”
India exports UPI innovation to the world. But at our own tech events… “Cash Only.” Let that sink in! Even the delegates at the AIIndiaImpactSummit2026 faced a similar issue!
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Cigarette and liquor shops are among UPI's fastest growers
Cigarette and Liquor shops have seen one of the highest growths in UPI usage over the last two years. At first glance, it’s just a data point. But it quietly reflects how behaviour,…
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Are physical cards heading for extinction?
💳 Are Physical Cards Heading Towards Extinction? Every year, without fail, I end up with a bunch of cards to discard, thanks to renewals or upgrades! This year, while cleaning my “precious…
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Payments lessons from a trip to Bali
💳 Payments Lessons from My Recent Trip to Bali! Travel always teaches you something new. This time, it was about how different the digital payment experience is compared to India. Here’s…
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20 million UPI Autopay mandates revoked every month
📉 20 million UPI Autopay mandates get revoked every month, mostly due to low customer balances! UPI Autopay has quietly become the default for RecurringPayments from OTT subscriptions, news…
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How an ice cream bill became a payments case study
Why my IceCream Bill Turned Into a Payments Case Study 🍦💳!! Over the weekend, I visited a popular ice cream parlor. Like everyone else these days, I scanned the QR to pay, only to see my…
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super.money is doing what others couldn't
super.money is Doing What Others Couldn’t Even Dream Of! In a cluttered, commoditized UPI market dominated by giants like PhonePe, GooglePay, and Paytm, a relatively new entrant has quietly…
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A new pecking order in the UPI universe
A New Pecking Order in the UPI Universe? For years, the top 3 UPI players have remained untouchable. But now it seems, even the 4th and 5th spots have become permanent! As per the NPCI data…
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UPI data for March 2025: the notable shifts
NPCI recently published the UPI data for March 25, and while the usual giants still rule, there are some notable shifts in the rankings - 🏆 1. PhonePe & Google Pay – Still Dominating!…
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Will cash be king again?
Would Cash Be King Again? Recently, several incidents suggest that cash usage might see a resurgence in the IndianEconomy. Let's explore a few scenarios: - Tax Notices to Small Vendors:…
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NPCI delays the 30% UPI cap, again
💡 National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI) Extends the 30% UPI Volume Cap Deadline—Again! In a respite to industry leaders PhonePe and GPay, NPCI has decided to delay the 30% UPI…
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Will small finance banks make credit on UPI work?
Will SmallFinanceBanks (SFBs) Ignite the Credit Line on UPI Revolution? When Credit Line on UPI was officially launched in September 2023, it was considered a game changer. UPI remains the…
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Would you pay a small fee for UPI?
Would you pay a Small Fee for UPI Transactions if it meant more Innovation and Better Service? 🤔 Imagine this: a small ₹3 increase in platform fees on popular food delivery apps can drive…
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Who's next in the UPI race?
Who’s Next in the UPI Race? 🚀💰 We all know the top three players dominating the UPI space, but have you ever wondered about the challengers chasing them? The DigitalPayments ecosystem is…