India’s UPI has announced its plan to expand its global footprint, with Japan preparing to roll out the digital payments system on a trial basis.
Following this announcement, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is expected to debut in the region of Japan, marking another important step in the global expansion of the country’s flagship digital payments system.
In addition, Japanese IT services firm NTT Data will be partnering with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in order to enable UPI acceptance in Japan on a trial basis in fiscal 2026. In the initial phase, the service is set to be available to Indian tourists who are visiting the country.
Accelerating the expansion of its international footprint and integrating cross-border payments
According to Firstpost, NTT Data and NPCI are also exploring several new ways to connect Japanese and Indian payment networks, a process that could deepen cross-border, secure, and efficient digital payment integration. At the same time, under the proposed arrangement, payments and transactions made by Indian users and customers in Japan through the use of UPI will be debited directly from their bank accounts in India. This process aims to give travellers the possibility to use the familiar system overseas without the overall need for leveraging separate wallets or cards.
Moreover, with the planned rollout in Japan, UPI’s international presence is expected to continue its strategy to expand around the world. The platform is currently available in eight countries, including Bhutan, which was the first to adopt it, followed by Singapore, Nepal, the UAE, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Mauritius, and France.
The initiative to launch abroad is aimed at serving the overall growing number of Indian travellers and strengthening UPI’s position as a global digital payments solution. The company is expected to continue to focus on meeting the needs, preferences, and demands of clients and users in an ever-evolving market, while prioritising the process of remaining compliant with the regulatory requirements and laws of the local industry as well.
