It is worth seeing the argument from a perspective that does not limit itself to asking how UPI infrastructure costs ought to be funded
The debate over UPI pricing is shifting as zero-MDR strains the ecosystem, raising questions over who should bear costs and whether a calibrated MDR can sustain digital public infrastructure
Restoring MDR for high-threshold transactions/merchants; or a tiered incentive structure
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"No MDR framework has yet been finalised," Sitharaman said. She added that consumers would continue to make instant digital payments through UPI without paying a transaction charge
The Ministry of Finance said UPI users will continue to pay no transaction charges, while a possible MDR could apply only to select merchant transactions above a threshold.
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Proposed amendment shifts the power to notify fee-protected payment modes to the Centre, a move industry sources see as an early step towards a possible UPI MDR
The report said that UPI is well positioned to consolidate its role as the backbone of India's payments landscape on the back of interoperability and a conducive regulatory environment
MDR refers to a fee that merchants pay banks or companies processing payments for executing a transaction
"The Government remains fully committed to promoting digital payments via UPI," the finance ministry said
MDR refers to a fee that merchants pay banks or companies (fintech) processing payments for executing a transaction
"In the long run, the payments ecosystem has to be viable in a country of our scale," said Bulusu
Education and awareness among the masses will absorb more users in the fold of digital payments
Is it time to rethink the MDR on credit cards in general, to boost their usage?
MDR is a fee charged to a merchant for the payment processing of debit and credit card transactions. It is also referred to as the transaction discount rate (TDR)
In the Union Budget for FY22, no funds were earmarked for recapitalising state-run banks. This was a decadal first, and will temper their eagerness to lend
Banks pay a switching fee running into hundreds of crores every year for UPI, but have to offer the service for free