Wire · technology
UPI payments without internet? India may soon make it possible
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Fusion42 · 22 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
India's NPCI is developing an NFC-based offline UPI payment system that would allow transactions up to Rs 2,000 without internet on either the customer's phone or merchant terminal, with PoS certification expected later in 2026. Users would tap their NFC-enabled smartphone on certified terminals after pre-loading funds into a UPI Lite wallet, with transaction details syncing once connectivity returns.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Fintech, and 16 sources have reported it between 21 Jul 2026 and 23 Jul 2026.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
If you build payment terminals, NFC hardware or UPI-adjacent apps in India, NPCI just opened a new category—offline settlement means your terminal now works where the internet doesn't. Get certified before your competitor does.
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16 sources · first reported 21 Jul 2026 · latest 23 Jul 2026
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