Lok Sabha bill signals potential MDR shift for UPI and RuPay merchants

A Lok Sabha-passed bill proposes enabling MDR levies on UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions while extending electronics-manufacturing tax breaks through March 2041. If enacted, it could reset merchant payment-cost economics and support longer-term device, cloud and data-centre investment.

— Source publishedThu, 6 Aug, 2026, 18:43 IST·First seen Thu, 6 Aug, 2026, 19:09 IST·Source Financial Express · BrandWagon

What happened

Lok Sabha passed a bill extending electronics manufacturing tax breaks and enabling MDR levies on UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions. The changes could

Key facts

  • Tax holidays extended by 10 years
  • Tax breaks available until March 2041
  • Cloud-company data-centre tax exemption until 2047
  • SPV surcharge proposed at 25%, up from 10%

Why this matters

Evaluate partnerships or acquisitions in merchant acquiring, payment orchestration, electronics manufacturing, and digital infrastructure that benefit from new payment economics and extended tax certainty.