Mumbai, July 23, 2025 — PayPal has announced the launch of PayPal World, a global payments platform featuring India’s UPI as a native settlement option. In partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), this initiative seamlessly connects with payment systems such as Tenpay Global, Mercado Pago, and Venmo.
A Regulated Boost Ahead of Launch
- Before this public launch, PayPal Payments Pvt Ltd secured in-principle approval (PA-CB‑E) from the RBI to operate as a cross-border payments aggregator for exports, covering around 200 international markets.
- With India recording USD 73.8 billion in exports in April 2025, the RBI license comes at a strategic moment—when export digitization and trade tech adoption are accelerating.
UPI Goes Global—or Closer
India’s UPI handles roughly 85% of domestic digital transactions and is now extending its reach globally via PayPal World. Indian users can pay on international merchant sites using UPI—no cards, no FX layers, just direct transfers. The NPCI aims to climb past Visa and Mastercard in cross-border acceptance.
Indians traveling abroad or merchants overseas entering the India market stand to benefit from this UPI-powered flow. NPCI International is also engaging countries in Africa and Latin America for broader UPI rollout.
Why It Matters for Indian Startups & SMEs
- This development removes friction for Indian freelancers, SaaS operators, and SMBs selling overseas by offering UPI-based settlement options.
- It sheds light on the evolving valuation of UPI—not just as a domestic payments rail, but as a global merchant instrument.
- With regulated aggregation and cross-border licensing, PayPal can finally offer compliant, low-friction flows for SMEs and digital-first exporters.
Final Take: PayPal World’s UPI integration symbolizes a strategic leap not just for PayPal, but for Indian fintech. It marks India’s payments narrative shifting from domestic dominance to global competitiveness.
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