The RBI's phased rollout of credit card linkage to UPI — which began with RuPay cards in 2022 and expanded to Visa, Mastercard, and Amex networks in 2024-25 — is now broadly available across major issuers. As of April 2026, over 35 million credit cards are linked to UPI, and transaction volumes are growing at 40% quarter-on-quarter.
Which cards are eligible
As of April 2026, the following card types can be linked to UPI: - RuPay credit cards: Fully supported across all UPI apps (BHIM, PhonePe, GPay, Paytm) - Visa and Mastercard: Supported on BHIM and select bank UPI apps; PhonePe and GPay expanding support through 2026 - Amex: Limited support, primarily through bank-specific UPI apps
Note: Debit cards on UPI are unaffected — the new rules apply only to credit cards.
How to link your credit card to UPI
1. Open your UPI app (BHIM, PhonePe, GPay, or your bank's app) 2. Go to Manage Payment Methods or Add Bank Account 3. Select "Credit Card" (available on supported apps) 4. Enter your card number, expiry, and CVV — or scan the card 5. Complete OTP verification with your card-issuing bank 6. Set a UPI PIN for the credit card (separate from your debit card UPI PIN)
Transaction limits
- Per transaction: ₹1 lakh (same as regular UPI)
- Per day: ₹1 lakh across all UPI credit card transactions
- Higher limits for specific use cases (rent, education, tax) may vary by issuer
Do rewards apply on UPI credit card transactions?
This varies by issuer: - HDFC Infinia, Regalia: Rewards apply on credit card UPI transactions at standard rates - ICICI Sapphiro, Coral: Rewards apply - SBI Credit Cards: Rewards apply on RuPay variants; check specific card terms for Visa/MC - Axis Flipkart Card: Cashback applies on UPI transactions at merchants
Always verify with your specific card terms — some issuers explicitly exclude UPI transactions from reward categories.
The MDR issue
Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI credit card transactions is still evolving. Currently, UPI QR transactions for merchants are MDR-free by government mandate — but credit card transactions on UPI may attract MDR. This is a policy tension that is not yet fully resolved and may affect merchant acceptance going forward.