France Joins UAE, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka And Mauritius In Accepting UPI Payments As Malaysia Sets A New Standard For Simplifying Travel For Indian Tourists With Easy And Secure Payment Methods

Malaysia has become the latest country to accept UPI payments, joining a growing list of destinations like France, UAE, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius. This move is a significant boost for Indian travelers, offering them a hassle-free payment method while traveling abroad. With UPI now accepted in Malaysia, Indian tourists can make secure and real-time payments for everything from meals to shopping, eliminating the need for currency exchange and simplifying their travel experience. This development also supports local businesses by attracting more Indian customers, further enhancing Malaysia’s appeal as a tourist destination.

Malaysia has now joined the growing list of countries where Indian travelers can use the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for payments, simplifying international travel significantly. This development means that Indian tourists no longer need to worry about exchanging currency or carrying cash when traveling to Malaysia. With UPI’s acceptance, they can use their UPI apps—just as they do at home—to make secure, real-time payments to local businesses.

Whether it’s paying for a meal of nasi lemak, purchasing a souvenir in Kuala Lumpur, or buying tickets for popular attractions like the Petronas Towers, Indian tourists can now complete transactions easily with just a few taps on their smartphones. While other payment methods such as cash and international credit or debit cards will still be available, the introduction of UPI makes it far more convenient for Indian travelers to shop and dine without the hassle of currency exchange.

The move comes as Malaysia seeks to further boost its tourism industry, especially with Indian visitors. According to reports, over a million Indians visited Malaysia in 2024, spending an estimated ₹110 billion—a sharp 71% increase from the previous year. By accepting UPI, Malaysia is not only streamlining the payment process for tourists but also helping local businesses attract more Indian customers who are accustomed to using UPI back home. This initiative is expected to enhance the overall travel experience for Indian tourists while also reducing the need for foreign exchange services.

Malaysia’s embrace of UPI is part of a broader trend where India’s homegrown payment system is rapidly expanding internationally. Over the past few years, UPI has been gaining ground in various countries across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, making cross-border transactions easier and more secure for Indian travelers.

One of the first countries to adopt UPI outside India was Bhutan, which integrated UPI with its Royal Monetary Authority’s QR system in 2021. This move allowed Indian visitors to make payments seamlessly using the BHIM app, making it the first nation to fully embrace UPI for cross-border transactions. Following Bhutan, Nepal also adopted UPI, partnering with Fonepay, Nepal’s largest payment network, to allow person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions via QR codes. The system’s ease of use has made it a hit among Indian travelers to Nepal.

France marked another significant milestone for UPI in 2024, as it became the first European country to accept the payment system. Initially starting with ticketing for the iconic Eiffel Tower, UPI acceptance later expanded to popular stores like Galeries Lafayette in Paris. This move was particularly timely, with the Paris Olympics on the horizon, offering Indian tourists a more convenient way to shop and explore without needing to carry foreign cards or deal with exchange rates.

The UAE has also made strides in UPI adoption. The country rolled out UPI across more than 200,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals and 60,000 merchants, including retail outlets, transport services, and attractions such as Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates. This is a significant advantage for the millions of Indians who travel to the UAE each year, allowing them to make payments quickly and securely without the need for international credit cards or cash.

In addition to these countries, Sri Lanka and Mauritius jointly launched UPI and RuPay services in early 2024. This partnership enables Indian tourists, students, and people of Indian origin to make direct payments from their Indian bank accounts. Mauritius has also joined the initiative by issuing RuPay cards for both local and cross-border use, giving Indian travelers even more flexibility when spending abroad.

The global spread of UPI is a testament to the growing influence of India’s digital payment ecosystem, which is not only revolutionizing how people in India pay but is also making international transactions easier and more accessible for millions of Indians traveling around the world. As more countries join the UPI movement, the payment system is poised to become a standard tool for cross-border payments, helping tourists avoid the need for foreign currency exchange and simplifying financial transactions wherever they go.

As UPI continues to gain international traction, it is expected to play a crucial role in promoting tourism and facilitating smoother travel experiences for Indians abroad. The addition of Malaysia to the list of UPI-accepting nations is just one step in the larger push towards making cross-border payments faster, more efficient, and more secure for Indian travelers, while also benefiting local economies by encouraging more tourism-related spending.

The post France Joins UAE, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka And Mauritius In Accepting UPI Payments As Malaysia Sets A New Standard For Simplifying Travel For Indian Tourists With Easy And Secure Payment Methods appeared first on Travel and Tour World