India's Thriving Digital Payment Revolution: UPI Takes the Lead

A recent Reserve Bank of India report highlights the dominance of digital payments in the Indian financial landscape, with transactions accounting for over 99% in volume and 97% in value during 2024. UPI leads in transaction volume, while RTGS tops transaction value. Credit card usage is also on the rise.

According to a recent Reserve Bank of India report, digital payments dominated the Indian financial system in 2024, accounting for an overwhelming 99.7% of transaction volume and 97.5% of transaction value. This trend persisted into the first half of 2025.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) emerged as a key player in transaction volume, representing 85% in the first half of 2025, while the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system held the lion's share, 69%, in transaction value. Such digital systems continue to overshadow traditional paper-based instruments like cheques.

Credit card transactions also noted a remarkable uptick, increasing from 208.7 crore in 2019 to 447.2 crore in 2024. Meanwhile, private banks maintain a stronghold in the credit card market, capturing a majority share. The report underscores the transformation of the payment ecosystem, with digital alternatives progressively challenging conventional banking tools.

(With inputs from agencies.)