EBANX, a global technology company specializing in payment services for emerging markets, has integrated UPI Autopay — the recurring payments feature of India’s instant payments system, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) — into its cross-border payments platform. Operating in India in a partnership with YES BANX, a private sector bank in the country, EBANX enables cross-border e-commerce merchants to offer UPI’s recurring feature for their clients in India.
With the integration of this new feature, EBANX’s global e-commerce merchants in industries like SaaS, streaming, and other subscription-based businesses can now offer recurring payments to their Indian customers through an alternative payment method (APM) like UPI, tapping into a massive, tech-savvy audience eager for global digital services and seamless, digital payment options.
India’s consumer class is projected to add nearly 300 million people by 2030, surpassing China, per the World Data Lab. By that time, one in every five consumers under 30 will be from India, making it an essential market for global companies seeking to expand internationally. With EBANX, e-commerce merchants can integrate both UPI one-time and recurring, as well as card payments for cross-border transactions, simplifying the complexities of operating in India’s dynamic digital landscape.
“India is a unique market with incredible opportunities and a burgeoning digital consumer segment,” said Rashmi Sapute, country director of India at EBANX. “UPI Autopay offers a groundbreaking way for global businesses to tap into the growing base of digital consumers in the country. We are proud to be at the forefront of this offering, simplifying cross-border payments and enabling our merchants to seize India’s vibrant digital economy.”
With a payment stack that includes UPI Autopay, EBANX is already empowering merchants to offer services through this recurring payment feature in India and reports growing interest from global players looking to follow the same path. UPI is already the dominant payment method in India’s e-commerce, with a 54% share, according to Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI) data in EBANX’s study Beyond Borders.
“With the integration of UPI Autopay, merchants can leverage UPI’s already strong position in the market, facilitating recurring transactions and expanding access to digital commerce to an even wider audience,” said Satpute.
According to the Reserve Bank of India, credit card usage in India is also experiencing significant growth, with spending increasing by 50% annually since 2021. This also reflects on e-commerce: they are responsible for one quarter of the total e-commerce pie in India, and are expected to accelerate by double-digits, at a 16% CAGR by 2027, according to PCMI in Beyond Borders – almost the 18% rate of UPI.
“The growth in alternative payment methods, such as UPI, isn’t a shift away from cards,” said Eduardo de Abreu, vice president of product at EBANX. “It rather responds to the expansion of the whole digital market, following digital and financial inclusion of consumers. The right mix of APMs and cards is essential to grow in emerging economies like India.”
In India, this mix can enable global companies to reach eight times more consumers than by offering exclusively credit cards, according to EBANX’s analysis based on data from PCMI, the World Bank, and the Central Bank of India.
The recurrency feature is essential in this scenario, as APMs have been inspired by cards.
“The global trend of APMs offering recurring payments is rapidly expanding worldwide, unlocking new opportunities for both customers and businesses in key markets,” stated Abreu.
Besides in India with UPI Autopay, the trend is also gaining traction in other emerging markets, such as Brazil, with the success of Pix Automático, expected to launch in June, and across Latin America with Mercado Pago Connect in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, as well as Nequi in Colombia.
