Centre Defends UPI MDR Plan as Retailers Warn of Higher Acceptance Costs

The finance ministry said MDR on select high-value UPI payments would strengthen domestic payment players and RuPay. Retail and fuel-dealer bodies say the proposed fees could discourage UPI acceptance and ultimately raise consumer costs, while fintechs see a new revenue stream.

— Source publishedThu, 17 Sept, 2026, 16:07 IST·First seen Thu, 17 Sept, 2026, 16:51 IST·Source Inc42

What happened

India’s finance ministry defended MDR on select high-value UPI payments, saying it supports domestic payment players and RuPay. Retailer and fuel-dealer groups

Key facts

  • 0.4% standard MDR on select high-value UPI transactions
  • ₹2,000 transaction threshold
  • ₹5 flat MDR for fuel, insurance, railways, telecom and utility payments above ₹2,000
  • 0.02% MDR for UPI transactions involving mutual funds, securities and stockbrokers
  • ₹300 cap on securities-related MDR
  • 0.28% issuer-bank interchange
  • 0.12% payer-side payment service provider share
  • 0.08% UPI app provider share
  • 30% proposed TPAP market-share cap

Why this matters

Payments companies should evaluate partnerships with RuPay, acquiring banks and merchant platforms to capture high-value UPI volume while helping retailers manage incremental acceptance costs.

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