Uber integrates UPI payments for select Android users in India; wider roll out to follow

**Uber India** today finally integrated **UPI** (Unified Payments Interface) payment system into their app to accept payments for rides. The company at an event mentioned that the option would be added to both iOS and Android versions of the app with Android smartphone users getting the update first. The feature, however, will be limited to select riders using the Android app for now. The company does expect a wider roll out for other users to follow soon. [caption id=“attachment_3931761” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image: Reuters[/caption] Economic Times in a report stated that the ride-hailing app has tied up with Axis and HDFC Bank for the time being to initiate the feature to users. The ride-hailing app currently allows riders to pay through Paytm, debit/credit card and cash. According to the company, through the steadfast adoption of BHIM over the next few weeks among its over 285,000 weekly active drivers, the move will additionally enable over 450,000 registered drivers on the Uber platform to experience the power of UPI. Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, **Ravi Shankar Prasad** was also present at the announcement along with David Richter, Senior Vice President of Global Business for Uber. Richter said, “We have over 4.5 lakh drivers in India, and we are committed to adding technological innovation for India, as evidenced in this UPI integration.” For the uninitiated, the UPI payment system was launched by National Payments Corporation of India last year facilitating instant fund transfers between two bank accounts without the need of a digital wallet. The feature is not a first for Indian users since Uber’s prime competitors in the Indian market, **Ola** , had incorporated UPI back in April this year. **NPCI** is also **planning a roll out** of UPI payments with multiple banks as well as major app platforms such as WhatsApp and Google soon **after announcing** a 10 percent increase in transactions volume for July.