Is UPI down? Google Pay, Phone Pe & major banks suffer massive outage for second time in 30 days; NPCI issues statement

Thousands of users of major banks and UPI service providers like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, HDFC, SBI, and Kotak Mahindra reported failed transactions, app crashes, and login issues in a now-confirmed nationwide UPI outage.

The downtimes began around 8 am this morning, peaking by noon with over 2,000 complaints on Downdetector. Social media was also flooded with frustration as payments for essentials like groceries, fuel, and metro tickets stalled.

Notably, this marks the sixth major UPI outage in a year and the second one in less than 30 days. On March 26, a three-hour crash paralyzed transactions nationwide, followed by another glitch on April 2. NPCI, which operates UPI, termed Saturday’s issue as ‘intermittent technical problems’ and assured that fixes were underway.

NPCI Acknowledges Technical Glitches

In a statement on X, NPCI confirmed “partial UPI transaction declines” due to server issues but did not specify the cause. Banks like HDFC and Kotak cited scheduled maintenance windows (1–6:30 AM) as contributing factors. However, users reported problems long after maintenance ended.

NPCI is currently facing intermittent technical issues, leading to partial UPI transaction declines. We are working to resolve the issue, and will keep you updated.

We regret the inconvenience caused.

— NPCI (@NPCI_NPCI) April 12, 2025

UPI handles 83% of India’s digital payments, per RBI data. Its dominance, up from 34% in 2019, means even brief outages disrupt daily life

The latest crash highlights vulnerabilities in India’s payment backbone. Notably, the outage coincided with NPCI’s April 8 move to restrict QR codes for international UPI payments, aiming to tighten payer identification. Domestic transactions remain unaffected, but the timing raised eyebrows.

ALSO READ: New UPI guidelines effective from April 1; Know all details

Security Updates Amid Growing Pains

UPI’s rapid growth—monthly transactions hit record highs- has reportedly strained its infrastructure. While NPCI pushes security upgrades, recurring outages reveal gaps in scalability. Competing apps like PhonePe and Google Pay, which rely on UPI, face equal backlash during crashes.

The March 26 outage alone impacted 500 million users. With 300+ banks and 100 million merchants dependent on UPI, experts urge NPCI to prioritise system resilience.