In October, the average daily value of transactions through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for the first time surpassed the 1 trillion rupee mark, coinciding with the start of the festive season. During this month, the average daily volume reached 822 million transactions, which is also the highest figure recorded for UPI.
A total of 25.47 billion transactions were processed in October, approximately 23 percent more than the 20.7 billion transactions registered in October 2025. The total transaction value in October 2026 reached 31.53 trillion rupees, exceeding the 27.27 trillion rupees processed in October 2025 by 16 percent.
The relevance of data on UPI volume and value is increasing amid discussions regarding the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), which is planned to be introduced for certain 'person-to-merchant' (P2M) transactions after Diwali.
Reasons for Transaction Growth
Ridhu Datta, co-founder of Cashfree, attributed this growth to the festive season acting as a driving force for increased volumes. She noted that October saw a surge in purchases during Navratri and major online sales, as people used UPI for both daily payments and larger festive acquisitions. According to her, from April to August, the number of UPI payments grew continuously, but their daily value remained stable, and the average payment size decreased. In September and October, the payment value began to grow faster than the number of payments, and the average payment size increased for two consecutive months.
In September, 24.06 billion transactions totaling 29.37 trillion rupees were processed. Previously, in August, 24.5 billion payments totaling 29.82 trillion rupees were made.
Industry leaders emphasized that the long-term sustainability of the payment system is crucial, especially during peak consumption periods like festivals. Akshay Mehrotra, Managing Director and Group CEO of Fibe, noted that the proposed MDR structure, initially planned for October 15 but reportedly postponed until after Diwali, raises an important question for society about the long-term viability of India's digital payment infrastructure. He added that while supporting the accessibility of digital payments for both consumers and sellers is important during peak transaction volume periods, ensuring the commercial sustainability of the entire ecosystem is equally vital.


