Which Countries Use India’s UPI? Global UPI Expansion Explained

India’s UPI is no longer limited to payments made at home. By August 2026, the government counted 11 foreign countries where UPI was live for merchant acceptance and/or cross-border remittances. Cambodia, Greece and the Maldives joined that network during 2026, while Uzbekistan became the newest market covered by an expansion agreement in August.

The overseas version is not identical everywhere. In some countries, an Indian traveller can scan a local merchant QR code. In others, UPI currently works mainly as a cross-border money-transfer rail.

Key Highlights

UPI was live in 11 foreign countries for payments and/or remittances by August 2026.
Nine countries had confirmed person-to-merchant UPI acceptance by July 2026.
Greece and the Maldives added cross-border remittance links during 2026.
Uzbekistan signed a commercial agreement with NPCI International on August 30, 2026.
India recorded 24.51 billion UPI transactions worth ₹29.82 lakh crore in August 2026.

Which Countries Currently Use India’s UPI?

The list becomes clearer when merchant payments and money transfers are separated.

For Indian travellers, Bhutan, Singapore, the UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar and Cambodia have confirmed UPI merchant-payment arrangements. These integrations allow eligible users to pay participating merchants through supported UPI apps.

Singapore and Nepal go further by also supporting cross-border person-to-person transfers.

Greece and the Maldives currently sit mainly on the remittance side of the network. Their UPI connections are designed to help money move directly between participating financial systems rather than offering widespread merchant QR acceptance from the start.

Government data shows Bhutan was among the earliest overseas person-to-merchant UPI markets, going live in July 2021. Cambodia joined merchant acceptance in June 2026.

Nepal also added an India-Nepal P2P remittance connection in June 2026.

The Maldives works differently. Its Favara-UPI corridor went live on July 30, allowing customers of participating Maldivian banks to send money directly to UPI-enabled Indian bank accounts. Merchant QR payments are planned for later phases.

What Changed in UPI’s Global Expansion in 2026?

Several launches arrived within a few months rather than through one single international rollout.

Cambodia: ACLEDA Bank partnered with NPCI International to introduce UPI merchant acceptance in June.NPCI International also confirmed the Cambodia rollout on LinkedIn, saying Indian travellers can use UPI-enabled apps for QR payments at more than 4.5 million KHQR merchant outlets across the country
Greece: Eurobank launched an India-linked UPI remittance service during 2026.
Nepal: The UPI-NPI linkage added instant P2P transfers from June 6.
Maldives: Favara and UPI connected for real-time transfers on July 30.
Uzbekistan: NIPL and Uzbekistan’s NIPC signed a commercial agreement on August 30 to support merchant payments through the national UZQR system.

Uzbekistan needs to be read slightly differently from the earlier country count. The government’s August 24 update referred to 11 foreign markets where UPI was already live for merchant acceptance or remittances.

The Uzbekistan agreement was announced six days later, on August 30. It therefore represents the next announced expansion rather than one of the 11 markets included in that earlier figure.

How Can Indians Use UPI While Travelling Abroad?

Seeing a UPI logo overseas does not mean every shop in that country accepts it. NPCI describes UPI Global as QR-based payment available at select international merchant locations.

Before paying abroad:

Activate UPI Global or UPI International for the required bank account in a supported app.
Look for the BHIM UPI or local partner acceptance logo at the merchant.
Scan the merchant QR and confirm the payment amount shown.
Check the local-currency and Indian-rupee conversion before approving.
Review the exchange rate and any applicable charge before entering the UPI PIN.

Keeping a card or some local cash is still practical. Merchant participation can vary within the same country, and not every Indian bank or UPI app necessarily supports every overseas payment corridor.

Why Is India Taking UPI To More Countries?

The size of UPI at home gives India a strong base for building international payment connections.

NPCI recorded 24,508.96 million UPI transactions in August 2026, with 752 banks live on the network. The value of transactions during the month reached ₹29,82,355.95 crore.

Cross-border expansion now serves two fairly different needs.

For travellers, merchant integrations can reduce dependence on international cards or cash at participating locations.

Remittance links tackle another problem. Connecting UPI with domestic payment systems in countries such as Nepal or the Maldives can allow money to move directly between participating bank accounts without requiring the user to treat every transfer like a conventional international payment.

Still, an agreement between payment networks does not mean instant nationwide availability. Local banks need to participate, technical connections must go live, and merchants may need compatible QR infrastructure.

That distinction will remain important as the list of countries using UPI grows.

FAQs

Can Indian UPI apps be used outside India?

Yes. Supported UPI apps can make international payments at participating overseas merchants after international UPI payments are activated for the linked bank account.

Which countries accept UPI merchant payments?

Confirmed markets include Bhutan, Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar and Cambodia, although acceptance remains limited to participating merchants.

Can Indians use UPI in the Maldives?

The current Maldives linkage mainly supports cross-border remittances through Favara. Merchant QR payments are expected to form part of later phases of integration.

Is UPI available in Uzbekistan?

NPCI International signed an agreement on August 30, 2026, to enable UPI payments through Uzbekistan’s UZQR network, marking the latest announced overseas expansion.

Is UPI available in Uzbekistan?

NPCI International signed an agreement on August 30, 2026, to enable UPI payments through Uzbekistan’s UZQR network, marking the latest announced overseas expansion.

Will the same UPI app work in every foreign country?

Not always. Support depends on the Indian bank, UPI app, overseas payment network, and participating merchant. Check international payment availability before travelling.