Payments firms for security, revenue model to power UPI

After a record year for UPI, payments firms call for tiered usage charges, greater security

- Anshika Kayastha

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform ended 2024 on a high, with record transactions in December both in terms of value and volume. But with the pace of growth in the UPI user base slowing through 2024, industry players are calling for the entry and growth of newer players and the introduction of a tiered charge on UPI transactions to sustain growth this year.

The UPI platform processed 172 billion transactions in 2024, growing 46% on-year. In December, the platform processed 16.7 billion transactions worth ₹23.25 trillion, up 39% on-year in terms of the volume of transactions and 28% in terms of the transaction amount.

Experts said the prospects for growth look strong in 2025 on the back of initiatives such as UPI Lite, credit on UPI and UPI Circle, which are expected to drive low cost and offline payments.