UPI Abroad in 17 Countries: Are You Overpaying?

UPI has expanded to Cambodia, letting Indian travellers pay at QR-code shops using their Indian UPI app. No forex card, no cash needed. Here's what it means for your next international trip and how to use it smartly.

Here's what happened: NPCI International has enabled UPI payments at QR-code merchants in Cambodia through a tie-up with Acleda Bank, making real-time cross-border payments possible.. Indian travellers can now scan local QR codes in Cambodia and pay directly in rupees from their Indian UPI app — the conversion happens automatically.. Cambodia joins a growing list of 17+ countries including Singapore, UAE, France, Sri Lanka, and Nepal where UPI acceptance is active or being rolled out..

What you should do: Check if your UPI app (PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm) supports international payments before your trip — not all apps have activated this feature yet.. Compare the forex conversion rate your bank applies on UPI transactions abroad versus a dedicated travel forex card — the difference can be ₹200–500 per day.. Avoid carrying large amounts of foreign cash — use UPI for small merchant payments and keep a backup card only for emergencies or ATM withdrawals..

Pro tip: RBI mandates that your bank must disclose the forex markup rate upfront. Ask your bank specifically for the 'international UPI transaction fee' — it's often 1–3.5% and buried in the fine print.