Feature Phone Users Will Soon Be Able to Make UPI Payments — PhonePe to Launch a New App!

PhonePe has taken a major step toward making digital payments accessible for feature phone users.

The company has announced that it has acquired the intellectual property (IP) of Gupshup’s UPI-based technology, GSPay.

- Advertisement -

With this deal, PhonePe will now customize GSPay and develop its own UPI app designed specifically for feature phones in India.

The company plans to launch this new platform in the coming quarters and aims to bring millions of feature phone users into the digital payments ecosystem.

App Will Work on NPCI’s UPI 123PAY Platform

In a press release, PhonePe stated that its new app will be built on NPCI’s UPI 123PAY platform, which is created for people who use feature phones instead of smartphones. With this app, users will be able to access basic UPI services like:

- Advertisement -

Person-to-person (P2P) money transfers

Offline QR code payments

- Advertisement -

Receiving money via mobile number or self-QR code

PhonePe CEO’s Statement on the Acquisition

Goal: Full UPI Interoperability for All Users

PhonePe said that it aims to offer full UPI interoperability, meaning feature phone users will be able to use UPI in the same way as smartphone users.

The goal is to remove the gap between the two and help include millions more in India’s digital payment system, promoting wider financial inclusion.

Why This Matters

PhonePe also shared industry data, saying that as of 2024, nearly 24 crore Indians still use feature phones, and over 15 crore new feature phones are expected to be shipped in the next five years.

This makes the feature phone segment a huge opportunity area for digital payment services.

Latest

More Articles