Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday pushed back Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's claims that ordinary people could end up paying more for using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), clarifying that any Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on digital transactions would be levied on merchants and not on customers.

The Finance Ministry proposes a bill amending the Payment Act, allowing Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 for sustainable e-payment systems.

Parliamentary amendments propose restoring merchant discount rates on UPI payments. This move aims to encourage digital transactions by allowing banks to charge fees. The…

Central bank governor Sanjay Malhotra stated it is premature to discuss UPI transaction charges. Discussions are ongoing regarding the payment mechanism's future and costs. The…

The current zero-MDR regime puts pressure on govt finances and limits the ecosystem’s ability to invest in long-term infrastructure