India launches tap-and-pay option for real-time payments ahead of full Apple Pay rollout
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The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is the world's largest retail fast-payment system by transaction volume, according to a 2025 IMF report.
It processed 24.51 billion transactions worth 29.82 trillion rupees ($314.21 billion) in August, latest data showed.
The feature will allow users to complete transactions by tapping their smartphone at a point-of-sale terminal without opening the UPI app.
The feature uses near-field communication technology and is designed to work in areas with little or no network connectivity, NPCI's non-executive chairman Ajay Kumar Choudhary said at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.
A beta version of Apple Pay has been available in India for some time now but a full launch is expected by October, according to local media reports.
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