India’s UPI Goes Global: Seamless Payments Across Borders, Steps to Activate UPI Global Payments

New Delhi: The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India’s revolutionary digital payments system, is now expanding rapidly across the globe, making it easier for Indians to travel, shop, and transact without worrying about currency exchange or international cards.

Travel the world, pay the UPI way!

No more currency exchange or card worries — just scan, pay, and go.

From Bhutan to France, Singapore to UAE — your UPI is now truly global!#GlobalPayments #DigitalIndia @UPI_NPCI @NPCI_NPCI @NPCI_BHIM pic.twitter.com/IvDEgigma3
— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) August 23, 2025

Steps to Activate UPI Global Payments in BHIM App

UPI Global Acceptance Expands

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched UPI Global Acceptance, enabling Indian users to pay directly at select international merchants using their UPI-enabled apps. After activating the feature, travelers can scan merchant QR codes abroad, view the billed amount in both local currency and INR, and complete transactions instantly with their UPI PIN—just as they would in India.

Countries Accepting UPI

As of now, UPI is accepted in seven countries: Bhutan, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, France, and the UAE. Indian travelers can make payments for dining, shopping, travel bookings, and other services directly from their bank accounts through UPI.

The acceptance network is growing, with Qatar, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries expected to be added by the end of 2025.

Expanding Global Partnerships

In recent months, UPI has entered into significant global partnerships. Trinidad and Tobago became the first Caribbean nation to adopt UPI for cross-border payments, while India also collaborated with Eurobank Cyprus to allow seamless transactions between the two countries.

On a policy level, India has been pushing for technology-neutral rules at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), making it easier for homegrown systems like UPI to compete with global giants such as Visa and Mastercard.

UPI Meets PayPal

A major breakthrough came in July 2025, when PayPal announced its new international platform “PayPal World”, integrating UPI for Indian users. This move will allow Indians to shop on foreign e-commerce platforms and make international payments directly via UPI, eliminating the need for cards or forex-based gateways.

Banks Supporting Global UPI

Indian banks are also upgrading their apps to support this expansion. For example, Bank of Baroda’s bob इ Pay app has rolled out new features such as UPI Global Acceptance, Foreign Inward Remittance, and advanced UPI services tailored for tourists and NRIs.

Steps to Activate UPI Global Payments in BHIM App

Update BHIM App
- Go to Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
- Update the BHIM app to the latest version to access international features.
Login to BHIM
- Open the app and log in using your registered mobile number and UPI PIN.
Go to “UPI Global” or “International Payments” Option
- From the home screen, tap on “UPI Global / International” under Services or UPI features.
Enable International Payments
- Select the bank account linked to your UPI ID.
- Toggle “Enable International Usage”.
- You may be asked to set a daily transaction limit.
Authentication
- Enter your UPI PIN to confirm activation.
- Some banks may send an OTP (One-Time Password) for additional verification.
Activation Confirmation
- Once successful, you’ll see a message:
  “UPI Global enabled successfully for international payments.”
How to Use Abroad
- When abroad, look for UPI QR codes at merchant outlets (restaurants, shops, taxis, etc.).
- Open the BHIM app → Scan the QR code.
- The bill will be shown in local currency and INR equivalent.
- Authorize the payment using your UPI PIN.

Important Points

Service availability depends on your bank (not all banks support UPI Global yet).
A daily limit is set (usually up to ₹1 lakh).
Only merchant payments are supported (no peer-to-peer abroad).
Supported countries (as of 2025): Bhutan, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, UAE, France, with more joining soon.

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