India’s national payment switch, the Unified Payment Interface (UPI), which is one of two mature payment switches in the world, has suffered a server outage causing widespread disruptions for digital payments across the country.
The Economy Times reported that UPI users across India are facing difficulties because of problems with digital payments because of the outage, and the disruption is affecting various banking services and UPI-enabled applications such as Google Pay, PhonePe, and BHIM among others.
UPI Payments Unavailable
Reports from users on platforms like X indicate a substantial outage in UPI functionality, persisting for several hours. Users have experienced an inability to complete transactions or transfer funds through popular UPI platforms, including Google Pay, PhonePe, BHIM, and even Paytm.
Numerous individuals have taken to social media to voice their frustrations, with complaints dating back approximately three to four hours. These collective grievances paint a clear picture of the widespread disruption affecting UPI services nationwide.
Bank Servers Down
The outage extends beyond UPI platforms, with multiple banks experiencing server issues. Users of prominent banks such as HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra, State Bank of India (SBI), and Kotak Mahindra Bank have reported encountering server-related challenges during UPI transactions.
Reports on Downdetector Confirm Widespread Outage
Downdetector, a platform monitoring service disruptions, has received an influx of reports regarding UPI services, as well as issues specific to Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Bank. Users have cited difficulties with fund transfers, further indicating the severity of the ongoing outage.
Banks and NPCI Yet to Acknowledge Issue
Despite the escalating number of user complaints, neither banks nor the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) have formally acknowledged the UPI outage. The lack of official acknowledgment has left consumers perplexed, with no clarity on the cause or expected resolution time.
The widespread UPI outage underscores the importance of robust digital infrastructure and prompt resolution mechanisms to mitigate disruptions in essential financial services. As users await official communication from banking authorities, alternative payment methods may offer temporary relief amid this period of uncertainty.
Meanwhile, UPI is lauded as one of the two mature national payment switches that provide very affordability, complete interoperability, a wide range of use cases, as well as near absolute protection for users in case of fraud. The other one is Brazil’s PIX.
Ghana’s national payment switch, GhIPSS (Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlements Systems), is at the progressive level and very close to the mature level, once it can provide and or ensure complete complete protection for users in case of fraud.
