{
  "id": 13924367,
  "title": "UPI Payments To Get Costlier? Here's What New MDR Rules Mean For Google Pay, PhonePe And Paytm Users",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/upi-payments-to-get-costlier-heres-what-new-mdr-rules-mean-for-google",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-12T08:56:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/upi-payments-to-get-costlier-heres-what-new-mdr-rules-mean-for-google-pay-phonepe-and-paytm-users"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Government plans for a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI payments over Rs 2,000 have raised concerns about potential cost increases for consumers using Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. However, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has clarified that customers will not face additional charges. Instead, merchants will absorb the nominal processing fees. The proposed MDR of 0.4% on high-value transactions would be capped at Rs 300 per transaction. Certain essential services will attract a flat Rs 5 charge. Merchants generally absorb minor processing costs as part of their operating expenses, and digital payments help businesses attract customers and reduce cash handling risks. The government has advised banks to prevent merchants from passing MDR charges to consumers. NPCI is considering deferring the implementation of the UPI MDR charges to January 2027, which would provide businesses with more time to adapt to the changes.",
  "summary": "Mumbai: Will UPI payments become costlier for consumers using Google Pay, PhonePe and Paytm? The government's proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain transactions has raised concerns about higher shopping bills, even as authorities maintain that customers will not face additional charges. The new framework proposes a 0.4 percent MDR on merchant UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000, capped at…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}