QR Share & Pay Blocked for International UPI Transactions
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued a circular restricting QR Share & Pay for international UPI P2M transactions.
This change means users can no longer use shared QR codes for cross-border purchases, effective April 4, 2025.
Although this impacts only international transactions, the popular feature remains available within India, though with strict limitations.
This marks a significant step in NPCI’s broader move to secure UPI payments and prevent misuse or fraud in unverified channels.
The move especially affects frequent travelers and NRIs who previously found QR Share & Pay a quick and easy payment option.
How QR Share & Pay Previously Worked
Previously, merchants could share their QR codes digitally via WhatsApp or email, allowing users to pay by scanning saved images.
This made payments highly convenient, especially in global scenarios where face-to-face interactions were not always possible.
Users could simply upload or open the saved QR code in their payment app and complete the UPI-based P2M transaction smoothly.
However, this convenience also raised concerns around fraud, data tampering, and unauthorized access, especially from unverified overseas merchants.
Now, QR Share & Pay is restricted for international use, although live scanning at physical merchant locations remains allowed.
QR Share & Pay Still Works Domestically—With Limits
While global use is restricted, domestic QR Share & Pay remains allowed, though it continues to be limited to ₹2,000 per transaction.
This rule applies specifically to non-verified offline merchants, adding an extra layer of control for domestic payments via shared QR codes.
Payment apps like PhonePe, Paytm, and GPay must now identify and restrict non-compliant payments based on these revised guidelines.
The Rs 2,000 cap has existed previously but is now reinforced as part of NPCI’s larger focus on safe digital transactions.
So, QR Share & Pay will still work at home—but not beyond Indian borders or with non-registered international merchants.
NPCI Also Blocks Collect Requests for Wallet Top-Ups
The new circular doesn’t stop with QR changes—NPCI also prohibits collect requests for wallet and prepaid card top-ups.
A collect request typically allows a merchant to pull funds from a user’s account, pending user approval.
However, due to increasing fraud reports involving collect requests, this functionality is being disabled to protect users from scams.
Going forward, users must initiate wallet loading themselves or use push-based payment methods through their respective apps.
Industry leaders like Rohit Mahajan from Plutos ONE emphasize that this shift prioritizes secure payment methods over risky collection flows.
Why This Matters for Users and PSPs
This update significantly changes how Indian users transact abroad and load digital wallets, tightening oversight in both areas.
Although some convenience is lost, the focus on improving security and verification benefits long-term ecosystem stability and trust.
According to TechFini’s Jai Kumar, the removal of QR Share & Pay for international payments limits flexibility, but adds important protections.
NPCI now places the responsibility on Payment Service Providers (PSPs) to detect and block non-compliant QR-based UPI transactions.
With UPI gaining global adoption, such guidelines ensure that growth is supported by robust fraud prevention frameworks.
Conclusion: New Era for Secure, Verified UPI Usage
These changes show that NPCI is prioritizing safe, transparent, and controlled UPI operations, especially for cross-border payments.
Though QR Share & Pay faces new restrictions, the long-term benefits lie in stronger regulation, better fraud control, and user confidence.
For users, it’s essential to understand the revised guidelines and use live scanning or verified payment flows for seamless global transactions.
Ultimately, QR Share & Pay still has its place—but only where trust, verification, and compliance are built into the process.