Now Reading: UPI average daily value crosses Rs 1 lakh crore in October
-
01
UPI average daily value crosses Rs 1 lakh crore in October
The Story in Brief
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processed its highest-ever month in October 2026, with average daily transactions worth Rs 1.01 lakh crore, according to NPCI data. The platform recorded 25.47 billion transactions totalling Rs 31.53 lakh crore, up 23% and 16% year-on-year respectively, reports CNBC-TV18, The Economic Times, Business Standard, Open Magazine and The Hindu Business Line.
Festive spending during Navratri, Durga Puja and ecommerce sales drove the surge, with transactions peaking at 873 million on 9 October, The Economic Times reports. The record comes as the proposed merchant discount rate (MDR) on certain UPI transactions has been deferred until after Diwali, according to multiple sources. Industry executives expect transaction volumes to remain elevated in November with Dhanteras and Diwali.
Update, 1 November 2026: Open Magazine reports that the October record does not mean every day crossed Rs 1 lakh crore, as the figure is a monthly average. The Hindu Business Line confirms the same NPCI figures and adds a quote from PayNearby CEO Anand Kumar Bajaj on digital inclusion. Both outlets also note the MDR deferral after Diwali.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All five outlets report the same NPCI figures and lead with the record crossing of Rs 1 lakh crore in average daily value. The Economic Times adds festive-spending context and a quote from Cashfree's Reeju Datta attributing the rise to Navratri and online sales. Business Standard includes a similar Datta quote and a sustainability warning from Fibe's Akshay Mehrotra. Open Magazine provides an explainer distinguishing monthly totals from daily averages and notes the MDR dispute. The coverage is uniform straight reporting on the headline numbers, the only variation is in the length and type of expert commentary each outlet chooses. The deferred MDR decision remains the concrete open item, with implementation due after Diwali.
Coverage: 5 sources, 5 neutral
Sources (5): cnbctv18.com (neutral report), economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report), business-standard.com (neutral report), openthemagazine.com (neutral report), thehindubusinessline.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
