PayPal to Launch Global UPI Platform, Linking India to the World

PayPal launched global UPI plans have officially been confirmed. According to The Hindu, PayPal is preparing to introduce a cross-border payment platform that will integrate with India’s UPI payment system.

The platform said in a statement on Wednesday, “The platform, PayPal World, will enable interoperability between local payment platforms and PayPal.”

The move aims to make it easier for users outside India to pay Indian merchants directly using Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a fast-growing digital payments platform overseen by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

UPI on PayPal World Platform

The new service, called “PayPal World,” will act as a bridge between the PayPal ecosystem and UPI. The platform is expected to roll out later this year and will allow foreign customers to complete transactions in India using UPI as the final layer of settlement.

Currently, UPI is only used within India by domestic banks and apps like PhonePe and Google Pay. But with the PayPal World’s UPI Platform, PayPal is extending UPI’s capabilities to international markets.

Ritesh Shukla, managing director and CEO of NPCI International Payments Limited, said, “The integration of UPI on PayPal World’s platform will mark a significant step in expanding UPI’s global footprint.“

Driving Cross-Border Growth

UPI has grown rapidly over the past few years, processing billions of transactions each month. PayPal’s move to link with UPI puts the company in a strong position to support the global demand for Indian goods and services, especially in sectors like software, e-commerce, and remote work.

By launching PayPal’s UPI payments, the company is aiming to attract international buyers looking to pay Indian merchants without relying on traditional banking networks. This change could lower transaction costs and reduce settlement delays.

Experts believe this will be particularly helpful in the gig economy, where many Indian freelancers rely on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, which often integrate with PayPal.

Why This Matters?

India has long been one of PayPal’s key growth markets, but the company pulled back from its domestic operations in 2021. With this new global integration, PayPal is re-entering the Indian market, but this time, from an international angle.

PayPal’s global UPI launch effort also comes at a time when many countries are exploring their real-time payment systems. By connecting to UPI early, PayPal may gain a first-mover advantage in cross-border digital commerce.

This step could redefine how global payments are routed into India and set the tone for future collaborations between fintech firms and national payment networks.