NPCI Expands UPI Services, Introduces New Payment Features

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced a range of new payment innovations at the Global Fintech Festival 2026 in Mumbai, expanding the reach of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system and enhancing digital payment capabilities.

A key development is the international integration of RuPay credit cards onto the UPI platform. This allows Indian travelers and overseas shoppers to pay at international merchant locations and e-commerce sites using their RuPay credit cards through a UPI app. The service is set to launch initially in France, Mauritius, the UAE, and the US.

NPCI also unveiled a Unified Ticketing Platform (UTP) designed to standardize digital ticketing for urban transit and cultural heritage sites. Utilizing offline-capable QR codes, the platform aims for instant ticket issuance without network delays. UTP is currently being piloted with Chennai Metro Rail and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Further innovations include RuPay ON-THE-GO card tokenization for NFC-enabled smartphones for transit payments, and the RuPay ‘Tap on Phone’ feature for e-commerce checkouts. Biometric authentication through RuPay Passkey will replace traditional OTPs, using device-native fingerprint or facial recognition for transaction authorization.

These initiatives aim to streamline digital payments, broaden credit access, and improve user experience both domestically and internationally, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for connecting India's payment system with global ecosystems.