UPI Goes Global: How India’s Payment Revolution Is Expanding to 7 Countries

India’s UPI is now live in France, UAE, Singapore, and more,letting travelers pay from their Indian bank accounts abroad. Here’s how UPI is scaling globally, and what product managers can learn.

Hey hey

While you were busy grooming sprint tickets, India’s biggest product quietly went global.

UPI is now live in 7 countries.

And this isn’t just a proud moment.

It’s a real-time case study in scale, trust, and localization — playing out across France, UAE, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, and Bhutan.

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What Happened

Indians can now use UPI (Unified Payments Interface) in France, UAE, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, and Bhutan.

That means Indian travelers can scan a QR code and pay directly from their Indian bank accounts using PhonePe, Google Pay, or Paytm.

Yep! You do not need to carry foreign currency or use forex cards.

To make this work, India’s payments body (NPCI) is teaming up with foreign payment companies (like Worldline in France) and local governments.

India is now testing UPI globally to check if it can work as a global payment system.

Why Does UPI Going Global Matter

Every month, almost 350 million Indians use UPI.

In just May 2024, they made 14.04 billion payments. That means, on average, each person makes about 40 UPI payments every month or more than one payment a day.

Now, imagine taking that same UPI app to another country.

Around 27 million Indians travel abroad each year.

By mid-2024, 15 million people traveled internationally. That means UAE, Singapore, France, Bhutan, and Nepal all see millions of Indian visitors each year.

And in all these places, UPI is now live or coming soon.

UPI isn’t just convenient. It’s disrupting how Indian tourists pay abroad:

Old way

• Carry foreign currency (which costs extra to convert)

• Use international cards (with 2-5% fees)

• Face card declines, language confusion, or long lines at ATMs

New way

• You pay from your Indian bank account in rupees

• No card needed, no cash handling

• The shop gets the money instantly in its local currency

This benefits everyone:

• Tourists: less hassle

• Small shops: more customers

• Governments: better tracking and tax compliance

But wait..

Here is the most interesting part…

The Eiffel Tower Accepts UPI Payments

Yes, even the Eiffel Tower now accepts UPI. And that’s the real unlock here.

This isn’t just for Indian tourists.

The long game? Position UPI as a global open protocol for fast, cheap, secure payments — even for non-Indians.

That’s when we’ll know UPI didn’t just go international.

It went global.

What Would You Do As A PM?

Now imagine you’re leading UPI’s global expansion. Some tough product calls await.

1. The PIN Problem: In India, UPI runs on a 4-digit PIN. But some countries expect stronger authentication (biometrics, two-factor).

→ Do you change the flow for each market or keep it consistent?

2. The Free vs. Fee Debate: UPI is free in India. But some countries might insist on a fee per transaction.

→ Would you allow it? Or risk slower adoption by insisting on “free”?

3. The Currency UX Challenge: User pays in rupees. Merchant receives euros.

→ How do you hide the currency swap complexity while staying transparent?

Final Thought

UPI’s international rollout isn’t just a product update.

It’s India exporting product innovation — built for scale, adapted for trust, and now stress-tested on the world stage.

That is it for today

Until next time
—Sid