As of 2025, the 7 key countries that officially accept Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for digital transactions, particularly for Indian tourists, are France, UAE, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan. These nations allow travelers to use apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm to scan local QR codes.
Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is currently accepted in eight countries— Bhutan, Singapore, Qatar, Mauritius, Nepal, UAE, Sri Lanka and France. Acceptability of India's digital payment network overseas enables Indian tourists to make UPI payments for transactions abroad.
Yes, UPI can be used in the US to send money to India. While UPI is primarily an Indian payment system, Western Union allows US users to transfer funds directly to a recipient's UPI-linked bank account. To learn more, check out how to send money to India.
Qatar becomes the eighth country to deploy UPI, joining nations such as Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates.
In which countries is UPI accepted for payments? UPI is accepted in Bhutan, France, Nepal, UAE, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and Singapore.
Sweden has officially become the first country in the world to go completely cashless. Almost every shop, café, and public transport system in Sweden now accepts only digital payments like cards or mobile apps. The popular app “Swish,” launched in 2012, is used by millions of Swedes to send and receive money instantly.
3: BHIM UPI has the added advantage of being backed by the government, so it is regarded as safer and secure compared to Google Pay. Though Google Pay has enhanced security features like biometric authentication as well as PIN or pattern, extensive data syncing makes it less secure.
It uses USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) technology, which works on basic phones too. This service helps people across India do banking just by dialling *99# from their mobile.
Yes, NRIs can use UPI from their registered overseas mobile number from the approved geographies, i.e. Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA for INR transactions in India.
Any transfer over $10,000 triggers a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) to FinCEN, but this doesn't mean you owe taxes — it's just for monitoring purposes. However, if the transfer represents income, a taxable gift, or a business transaction, you must report it when filing your taxes.
You can use Google Pay to send money to friends and family in India using your mobile device. You'll need an internet connection, an Indian bank account and an Indian phone number.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which was formed in April 2009 under the guidance of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Based on transaction volume data, some of the top banks for UPI remittances include the State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, and Punjab National Bank. Many banks, including HDFC and SBI, offer high UPI transaction limits, typically up to ₹100,000 INR per transaction.
Disadvantages include a daily transaction limit of ₹1,00,000 (though some banks may impose lower limits) and fewer features compared to private UPI applications that offer rewards or cashback.
Pioneered and developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), BHIM was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on December 30, 2016. The app aims to promote financial inclusion and make India a digitally empowered society.
Who Can Use BHIM? Any person who has a smartphone and a bank account can use BHIM to make transactions. However, you will need to have your mobile number registered with the bank and a debit card linked to that account. You can download the BHIM app from Play Store or Appstore.
The USA has not adopted UPI due to several existing challenges in its payment systems. These include limited bank interoperability, where current payment apps are often restricted to certain banks.
The UPI transaction limit is ₹1 lakh per day as per NPCI. For capital markets, insurance, collections, and foreign inward remittances, the limit is ₹2 lakh.
Google Pay (GPay) stands out for its clean design, fast transactions, and strong Google-level security. It enables easy money transfers, bill payments, and online purchases through UPI. The app also offers rewards and cashback for transactions, making it one of the best UPI apps for daily use in India.
1 in digital payments? India has emerged as the global leader in fast payments, according to a recent note by the International Monetary Fund. This is primarily driven by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which processes billions of transactions monthly.
Today, the country is once again leading a financial revolution — this time by nearly eliminating cash altogether. According to the Swedish central bank, only 8% of the population used cash in 2022, and the amount of physical currency in circulation has dropped by half since 2007.