Overview
- Official data cited in Parliament confirm UPI has about 55.49 crore onboarded users and recorded a record 24,161.69 crore transactions worth Rs 314.23 lakh crore in FY 2025–26.
- Multiple outlets reported that NPCI is developing an NFC‑based offline 'tap‑to‑pay' feature that would let customers pay at merchant PoS terminals without internet, with a reported but unconfirmed per‑transaction cap of Rs 2,000.
- The proposed flow would require users to preload funds into an on‑device UPI Lite wallet and would let terminals capture an offline authorisation that is uploaded for settlement when connectivity returns.
- NPCI is expected to begin certifying conventional PoS devices in 2026 and banks and third‑party UPI apps are working on integration, meaning widespread merchant acceptance will need terminal upgrades and new operating rules.
- The feature could extend payments to flights, metros and remote areas and boost inclusion, but it raises questions about security, fraud liability and alignment with existing RBI offline limits that currently differ from the reported Rs 2,000 ceiling.