UPI Crosses 500 Million Users, Fuels MSME and Digital Growth

13 Oct 2025 CW Team

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has achieved a new milestone, surpassing 500 million consumers and 65 million merchants across India. The platform, developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has expanded its reach to nearly 99 percent of the country’s pin codes, underlining its deep penetration into both urban and rural markets.

According to a report by NPCI and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) launched during the Global Fintech Fest 2025, UPI has evolved from being a digital payments mechanism into a key enabler of financial inclusion and small business growth. It has facilitated the formalisation of a large segment of the economy by giving micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access to secure, instant digital transactions and easier credit.

The report notes that in regions with high UPI adoption, consumer durable loans grew tenfold and personal loans expanded by 4.4 times between FY23 and FY25. On the business side, lending to enterprises in high-UPI penetration areas increased by more than four times compared to lower adoption zones.

Merchants have also reported productivity improvements, supported by digital tools such as the UPI Soundbox, which streamlines transaction verification. Meanwhile, UPI’s innovation drive continues through products like UPI LiteX for offline transactions, tap-and-pay features, credit card integration, and UPI Autopay. Together, these developments highlight UPI’s growing contribution to India’s financial ecosystem and its role in advancing digital inclusion for individuals and MSMEs alike.

Infrastructure Urban

14 Nov 2025

CM Inaugurates Rs 3.7 Billion Vilholi Water Treatment Plant in Nashik

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the Nashik Municipal Corporation’s 274 MLD Vilholi Water Treatment Plant and the upgraded Mukane water supply scheme, a Rs 3.7 billion project designed to provide a reliable and sustainable water supply to more than 55 lakh residents. The system will also cater to over 1 crore visitors expected during the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela.Funded partly through Rs 2 billion Green Sustainable Bonds, the project strengthens Nashik’s long-term water security, ensures year-round availability, and enhances the city’s preparedness for peak tourist inflow. It..

Indian Speciality Chemical Industry Poised for Strong Global Growth

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), in partnership with Al Rostamani Group, has inaugurated three major facilities at its Dubai headquarters: a Training and Knowledge Transfer Building, a Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, and an Integrated Agri-Aquaculture System. The launch took place in the presence of H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the UAE’s agricultural innovation ecosystem.Fully funded by Al Rostamani Group, the new facilities reinforce ICBA’s role as a leading ..

Mooreast to Explore Up to 500 MW RE Projects in Timor-Leste

Mooreast Holdings, listed on the Singapore Exchange Catalist, announced that it will begin feasibility studies this month for the development of up to 500 megawatts (MW) of large-scale renewable energy (RE) projects in Timor-Leste.The studies follow a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed between Mooreast and the Secretario de Estado de Electricidade Agua e Saneamento (SEEAS), the secretariat for Electricity, Water and Sanitation under Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Public Works. Under the LOI, Mooreast will explore the development of 300–500 MW of floating renewable energy over the next five to ten ye..