Merchant Discount Rate MDR

At Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit, PhonePe's Sameer Nigam says MDR is necessary for UPI's growth, while questioning criticism of foreign investors who helped build India's payments ecosystem

NPCI has postponed the levy of MDR on select UPI merchant transactions, originally due from October 15, while leaving the proposed fee structure unchanged

Shares of Paytm, MobiKwik and Pine Labs declined amid reports that the proposed UPI merchant discount rate could be deferred to January 2027 from October 15

UPI MDR may be deferred to January 1, while the exemption for small merchants could be expanded to businesses with annual turnover of up to ₹40 lakh

A 0.4 per cent merchant discount rate takes effect on October 15, while small payments remain free; UPI recorded 802 million average daily transactions in September.

LocalCircles estimates UPI transaction volumes could fall 4% and value 10% as consumers shift to cards, cash and bank transfers if merchants pass on the MDR

Clocks highest daily avg volume of over 800 mn transactions

UPI processed an average 802 million transactions a day in September, up about 1 per cent from August, while transaction value also remained firm despite the MDR backlash

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the charge on specified merchant transactions above ₹2,000 will be borne within the payments ecosystem, while UPI payments by customers will remain free

From October 15, MDR will apply to certain UPI payments above ₹2,000 made to large merchants, while customers and eligible small vendors will continue to pay no fee

PhonePe, Paytm, Pine Labs and MobiKwik are stepping up merchant acquisition and device deployment as UPI MDR returns and NPCI plans a Rs 3,000-crore fund

UPI's costs could be shared more widely without distorting the incentives to use digital payments

Proposed UPI MDR will give remitter banks the largest revenue share, while private banks dominate the merchant-side transactions

A fee on UPI transactions is economically logical, but it reflects the govt's evolving approach to one of its key political constituencies

The benefits of keeping it free far outweigh the costs

Government may monitor merchants to ensure new UPI charges are not passed on to consumers from October 15

Brokers in discussion with the market regulator as the charge raises operational cost

New UPI charges on high-value merchant payments are raising concerns among Delhi retailers, with some considering a shift towards cash to protect margins

Petroleum dealers have sought exemption from MDR on UPI fuel purchases above Rs 2,000, warning that the additional transaction cost could put pressure on prescribed dealer margins

Finance Ministry rejects claims of US pressure behind UPI MDR, as Opposition parties and trader groups demand reconsideration of the new merchant fee