UPI Down: SBI, Google Pay, Paytm Users Face Widespread Payment Issues Across India

New Delhi, India: Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services faced a major outage across India, leaving users unable to send or receive payments through platforms such as Google Pay, Paytm, and State Bank of India (SBI). Reports indicate that payment failures and transaction disruptions surged throughout the day, with peak complaints observed in the late afternoon and evening.

Nationwide UPI Disruptions Impact Transactions

According to outage-tracking platform Downdetector, a significant spike in complaints was recorded, with users reporting issues in fund transfers, payments, and overall app functionality. The disruption affected multiple banks and payment services, causing inconvenience to millions of users relying on UPI for daily transactions.

Extent of the Service Outage

The UPI system, managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), saw widespread disruptions, with user complaints categorized as follows:

• 64% related to fund transfer failures
• 28% linked to payment issues
• 8% concerning app functionality glitches

State Bank of India (SBI), a major UPI participant, faced severe technical glitches, with:

• 57% of users reporting fund transfer failures
• 34% experiencing mobile banking issues
• 9% unable to check account balances

Peak Outage Hours and Social Media Reactions

Downdetector’s outage graph revealed that UPI service failures peaked between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM, while SBI’s issues started earlier, with 87 complaints logged at 10:00 PM the previous night, followed by another surge in the afternoon. Frustrated users took to social media, flooding platforms with complaints about failed transactions, delayed refunds, and app crashes.

Possible Causes and Official Response

As of now, NPCI and affected banks have not issued an official statement detailing the reason behind the outage. However, preliminary reports suggest a technical glitch, with users receiving error messages such as “UPI down in India” after failed transactions. Some users reported that deducted amounts were later refunded.

The disruption underscores India’s heavy reliance on UPI for digital payments and raises concerns over system stability. Authorities are yet to confirm whether the failure was caused by server overloads, system maintenance, or potential cybersecurity threats.

What Users Can Do

Until services are fully restored, users are advised to:

• Monitor official statements from NPCI and banks for updates
• Use alternative payment methods such as net banking, credit/debit cards, or wallets
• Avoid repeated transactions to prevent duplicate deductions

As UPI services remain unstable, authorities are working to resolve the issue and ensure smooth digital transactions. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing situation.