New High: UPI Payments Touch ₹28 Lakh Crore in December

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions closed 2025 on a strong note, hitting fresh record highs and extending the steady momentum seen through the year.

UPI transactions rose 5.7 per cent month-on-month to 2,163 crore in December, while the total value of payments increased 6.3 per cent to nearly ₹28 lakh crore, according to data released by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The previous peak was recorded in October, when 2,070 crore transactions worth ₹27.3 lakh crore were processed.

On an annual basis, UPI growth remained robust, with transaction volumes jumping 29 per cent and value rising 20 per cent compared with December last year, underlining the continued shift towards digital payments.

Fastag transactions also registered a sequential increase but appeared to be nearing saturation on a year-on-year basis. Volumes grew 4.1 per cent month-on-month to 38.4 crore in December, supported by holiday travel and increased year-end freight movement. However, Fastag usage remained largely flat compared with the same period a year ago, indicating a slowdown in annual growth.