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‘Shared costs, targeted sops key to UPI, RuPay expansion’
Financial Express Pune
|February 17, 2026
THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS of UPI and RuPay cards depends on building a balanced ecosystem that supports all stakeholders and shares infrastructure costs to expand adoption and ensure inclusive, sustainable growth in digital payments, according to a study backed by the Department of Financial Services.
The study recommends introducing tiered cashback programmes for RuPay transactions in Tier 2-6 cities, enabling contactless RuPay cards and improving international acceptance through global partnerships.
It also calls for promoting small-ticket payments through tools such as UPI Lite in everyday settings including public transport, quick-service restaurants and local retail. Incentives should encourage frequent routine transactions rather than only high-value usage.
This story is from the February 17, 2026 edition of Financial Express Pune.
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