Digital Payments

UPI average daily transaction value crosses ₹1 trillion in October

Festive spending pushed UPI transactions to 25.47 billion, worth ₹31.53 trillion, even as the proposed merchant discount rate remains in focus

BFSI Insight Summit 2026: 'Real-time fraud check key in digital payments'

At the BFSI Insight Summit 2026, payments leaders called for AI-driven fraud detection, real-time risk scoring and greater industry collaboration to tackle rising digital payment scams

PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam backs DPDP Act, says no impact on business

At the Business Standard BFSI Summit, PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam says the company established a dedicated data privacy function as early as 2018

Agentic payments need clear consent and security rules: Industry leaders

At the BFSI Summit 2026, industry experts said AI agents could simplify everyday payments, but adoption hinges on verifying their identities and permissions

Paytm Q2FY27 net profit jumps 10-fold to ₹225 crore, revenue up 28 %

One 97 Communications Ltd, the parent company that operates the brand Paytm, reported an over 10-fold rise in profit after tax to Rs 225 crore in the September quarter (Q2 FY27), from Rs 21 crore a year ago, on a reported basis, marking its sixth consecutive profitable quarter. Operating revenue rose 28 per cent YoY to Rs 2,648 crore, driven by sustained momentum across merchant and consumer businesses, expanded monetisation and AI adoption. Ebitda rose 90 per cent YoY to a record Rs 270 crore, with Ebitda margin expanding to 10 per cent, reaching double digits for the first time and reflecting stronger operating profitability. For H1 FY27, profit after tax more than tripled YoY to Rs 445 crore, from Rs 144 crore a year ago, on a reported basis. On a comparable basis, excluding the Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) incentive received until December 2025, underlying growth was even stronger. Operating revenue grew 33 per cent YoY and Ebitda nearly quadrupled, while Ebit

Global digital payments to double by 2030 as new instruments gain ground

Capgemini's World Payments Report 2027 says non-cash transactions have grown nearly fivefold over the past decade, with instant payments, e-money and digital currencies reshaping global commerce

UPI MDR framework needs rationalisation to protect public trust: Report

Proposed merchant discount rate (MDR) framework for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions needs to be rationalised before implementation to protect public trust in the digital payments system, according to a report. UPI, a public digital infrastructure, has generated significant convenience for users and productivity gains for the economy, with its long-term economic benefits outweighing the incremental income that could accrue from merchant transaction fees, the report titled 'UPI at a Crossroads: Reintroducing the MDR' released by IIT Bombay said. It cautioned that public trust in UPI could be undermined if the proposed MDR framework is implemented in its present form, stressing the need to ensure that the digital payments platform does not attract negative sentiment among users. The report suggested that merchants with annual turnover of Rs 50 crore or more are mandated by law to provide UPI as a means for accepting payments. Accordingly, the remuneration for the UPI ...

No preferential access to biz from group cos: Jio Payment Solutions CEO

Jio Payment Solutions is prioritising large enterprises and profitable segments as it seeks to expand in India's crowded digital payments processing market

When complaints become insights

The next chapter in grievance redress is to ensure one customer's experience prevents the same problem for the next

A better way to fund UPI

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

Datanomics: PSBs lead among UPI senders, private banks top receivers

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

PhonePe to hire 20,000 staff, deploy 5 mn payment devices in 12 months

PhonePe on Thursday announced plans to accelerate the expansion of its merchant network and take digital payment infrastructure deeper into India's towns and villages. As part of the expansion, PhonePe plans to hire more than 20,000 frontline sales personnel on its rolls over the next year. The company will also deploy more than 50 lakh payment devices over the next 12 months, including SmartSpeakers and POS devices with approximately 50 per cent of these devices in rural India, taking digital payment acceptance deeper into Tier 6 towns and rural geographies. The recently announced MDR framework allows the company to take a long view and invest in merchant expansion. Initiatives like a dedicated fund using 5 per cent of the MDR amount collected earmarked for small merchant expansion, are further catalysing these investments, especially in deep rural geographies including tier 6 towns and villages. The new labour codes introduced last year, are also enabling the company to hire faste

UPI's 10th birthday party

All marketers know that offering something 'free' can act as a customer magnet. This has fascinated behavioural economists

UPI MDR: These stocks could be the winners | New UPI charges | Digital payments

NPCI’s new 0.4% MDR on select UPI merchant payments opens up a new revenue pool for payment companies. Here’s what brokerages estimate for Paytm and Pine Labs.

Govt considers mechanism to check pass-through of MDR to customers

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

Delhi merchants up in arms, say MDR on UPI could mark return to cash

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

The next frontier

Digital-payment trail can improve risk assessment for lending

Datanomics: Remittances to India from Aus, Saudi cost double the UN target

India's remittance flows are rising, but high transfer costs and limited UPI links show the need for wider cross-border payment connectivity

Govt holds firm on UPI MDR as Opposition mounts pressure for rollback

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

UPI Tap and Pay explained: How it works, key features, and its benefits

Digital payments are getting a new option. Here's what RBI's new UPI Tap and Pay feature is all about, how it works and what it could mean for users: