UPI hits record in October 2026 with nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in daily transactions

The use of digital payments in the country keeps growing, and UPI set a new record in October 2026. It is said that, for the first time, UPI handled transactions of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore every day this month.

These days, for purchases big and small, people use PhonePe, Google Pay and other apps. The reason is clear: the apps are quick and easy to use, and there is no need to keep making trips to an ATM.

According to data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI recorded 25.47 billion transactions in October 2026, or about 2,547 crore. The total value of these transactions was Rs 31.53 lakh crore.

In October 2025, UPI had recorded 20.7 billion transactions. In a year, the number of transactions has risen by 23%, while their total value has gone up by 16%.

On a daily basis, UPI handled about 822 million transactions in October, the highest figure so far. It shows that people, from small shops to large shopping malls and online shopping, now prefer digital payments.

The festival season is cited as a major reason for the surge. October had several festivals, including Navratri and Dussehra. Online shopping sales also began during the same period, which lifted purchases considerably. UPI was used more for buying clothes, electronics, household goods and other items. As a result, both the number and the value of payments rose.

It is also said that the government is soon to impose an MDR charge on UPI payments, and that this is another reason for the rise. Whether the record transactions stem from fear of the MDR being imposed or from something else is not addressed separately in the data.