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Wire · operational-macro

Will UPI payments remain free forever? Bernstein says consumers likely to stay unaffected

Published

5 August 2026

Topic

operational-macro

◆ Sectors

Fintech

◆ Geography

India

◆ Source

Read at livemint.com →

◆ Verified

Fusion42 · 5 August 2026 · Fusion42 review

Bernstein predicts that UPI payments in India will likely continue to be free for consumers, although merchants may face a 30-40 basis points merchant discount rate (MDR). This suggests ongoing regulatory support and market sustainability for digital payment adoption in India.

This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Fintech, and 45 sources have reported it between 19 Jul 2026 and 5 Oct 2026.

◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway

UPI's continued free access for consumers keeps payment volumes high while a modest merchant fee opens new revenue paths for fintech. You need to explore merchant-focused products to tap this emerging fee structure.

◆ Coverage

45 sources · first reported 19 Jul 2026 · latest 5 Oct 2026

◆ Related on Wire

◆ Topics

Fintechupipaymentsfintechindiamdrdigital-payments