STARTUP/TECHNOLOGY
UPI’s New MDR: Cost For Merchants, But No Charge For Customers Seen
With Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processing 24 billion transactions worth about $311 billion in August 2026, the new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework marks a significant change in the economics of India’s largest digital payment network, although the immediate impact on consumers is expected to be limited because the customer-facing UPI transaction remains free. What […]
Sajan C Kumar
·
Sep 16, 2026
STARTUP/TECHNOLOGY
UPI To Remain Free For P2P Transfers, 96% Of Merchant Transactions: Govt
The new Unified Payments Interface (UPI) framework will have no impact on person-to-person transactions, with all P2P UPI payments continuing to remain completely free irrespective of the amount transferred. The framework will also keep merchant payments up to ₹2,000 free of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR). Transactions covered under the zero-MDR framework for small merchants will […]
CW Bureau
·
Sep 15, 2026
GENERAL
UPI To Remain Free For Users; Limited Merchant MDR May Be Introduced
The government on Saturday categorically clarified that UPI users will not face any transaction charges, while the vast majority of merchant transactions will also remain free under any future merchant discount rate (MDR) framework. The clarification comes amid debate over the recent amendment to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act (PSS Act), with the government […]
CW Bureau
·
Aug 8, 2026
