RBI Transactions Remain Free — But For How Long?
Imagine this: you’re standing at a roadside tea stall, sipping your evening chai, and as you reach into your pocket—no cash. No worries, right? You just scan the QR code, and boom—payment done in a second. That’s UPI magic for you. It’s so seamless now, you probably haven’t carried physical money in months. Not just you—rickshaw pullers, fruit vendors, and even the guy selling momos down the lane, everyone has a scanner.
But here’s the twist in the tale: while we’ve been enjoying this convenience for free, the question that’s quietly looming in the background is—for how long?
So far, there’s no official proposal in front of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to charge users for UPI transactions. Which means, yes, UPI remains free… for now.
But here’s what RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das recently reminded us:
“I never said UPI can stay free forever. What I said was, there are costs—someone has to pay them.”
He didn’t say users will be charged, but he definitely hinted that the free ride might not last forever. His point? It’s not about who pays, but that someone must, for the model to be sustainable.
Let’s be honest—UPI has changed the game. It’s fast, easy, and cheap. In fact, in August 2025 alone, over 20 million UPI transactions were processed—a whopping 34% increase year-on-year! That’s not growth. That’s a revolution.
And it all began accelerating post-COVID, when everything from office work to classrooms moved online. That shift nudged even the most cash-loving folks toward digital payments. Today, we don’t even think twice before scanning a QR code—for anything from a ₹5 toffee to a ₹5,000 shopping spree.
But what makes all this possible? Subsidies. Yes, the government has been covering the cost of UPI transactions to keep it free for end users like us. Because let’s face it—start charging even ₹1 per transaction, and the impact could ripple through every corner of society. Many people rely on UPI exclusively, and even small charges could be a big deal.
Of course, if charges do come into play, there’s a silver lining for the “delayers”—you know, those friends who never pay you back on time. “UPI not working,” “Network issues,” “Next week pakka”—we might hear those excuses even more often.
But till then, let’s not overthink it.
Just enjoy the perks while they last.
Maybe treat yourself to a nice dessert—paid online, of course.
Because for now, UPI is still sweet and still free.