UPI Recognized as World’s Largest
Real-Time Payment System by IMF; Accounts for 49% of Global Transactions
Ø Targeted measures such as PIDF-backed
infrastructure, BHIM-UPI incentives and RuPay-UPI
expansion continue to accelerate digital payments adoption across India
·
Global
Recognition:
o
The
IMF report (June 2025) recognized Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
as the world’s largest retail fast-payment system by transaction volume.
o
As
per ACI Worldwide (2024), UPI accounts for 49% of global real-time
payment transactions.
·
Global
Comparison (2025):
|
Country |
Transaction Volume (Billions) |
Global Share (%) |
|
India |
129.3 |
49% |
|
Brazil |
37.4 |
14% |
|
Thailand |
20.4 |
8% |
|
China |
17.2 |
6% |
|
S. Korea |
9.1 |
3% |
|
Others |
52.8 |
20% |
|
Total |
266.2 |
100% |
·
Government
& RBI Initiatives:
o
BHIM-UPI
incentives for
low-value transactions.
o
Payments
Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF):
§ Deployed 5.45 crore digital touch
points in tier-3 to 6 centers (as of Oct 31,
2025).
§ Installed 56.86 crore QR codes
across 6.5 crore merchants (FY 2024-25).
o
Expansion
of RuPay-UPI across public services,
transport, and e-commerce platforms.
·
Official
Statement:
Shared by Minister of State for Finance, Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, in a Lok
Sabha reply.
[ABS
News Service/09.12.2025]
The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) report on ‘Growing Retail Digital Payments
(The Value of Interoperability)’ dated June 2025 had recognized Unified
Payments Interface (UPI) as the world’s largest retail fast-payment system
(FPS) by transaction volume. Further, as per ACI Worldwide report on ‘Prime
Time for Real-Time’ 2024, UPI has around 49% share in the global real-time
payment system transaction volume.
The
detailed comparison illustrating UPI's current status and market share against
other leading international real-time payment platforms is given in the table
below.
In
order to support small scale merchants in adopting digital payment systems
including UPI, various initiatives have been taken up by the Government,
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
from time to time. These inter alia, include incentive scheme for promotion of
low value BHIM-UPI transactions, and the Payments Infrastructure Development
Fund (PIDF) which provides grant support to the banks and fintechs
for deployment of digital payment infrastructure (such as POS Terminals and QR
codes) in tier-3 to 6 centers. As of October 31,
2025, approximately 5.45 crore digital touch points have been deployed through
PIDF in tier-3 to 6 centers. Further, as of FY
2024-25, a total of 56.86 crore QR were deployed to approximately 6.5 crore
merchants.
The
Government, RBI and NPCI have initiated deepening digital transactions through RuPay and UPI across businesses including public services,
transport and e-commerce platforms on a nationwide basis.
UPI’s
status against other leading international real-time payment platforms
|
Countries |
Transaction
Volume (in Billions) |
%
Share of Global real-time payment platform |
|
India |
129.3 |
49% |
|
Brazil |
37.4 |
14% |
|
Thailand |
20.4 |
8% |
|
China |
17.2 |
6% |
|
South
Korea |
9.1 |
3% |
|
Others |
52.8 |
20% |
|
Total |
266.2 |
100% |
This
information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 8 December,
2025.