Policy · Financial Services

Alipay+-UPI link stalled over security concerns

By Startup Enthusiast · 3 September 2026

What they do

Alipay+ is a global wallet gateway operated by Ant International

A proposal to link Alipay+ with India's UPI has been put on hold due to national security and data concerns

The move comes as India and China seek to stabilise ties, with a BRICS summit expected later this month

A proposal to link Alipay+ with India's UPI for cross-border payments has stalled.
The Ministry of External Affairs cited political grounds for putting the proposal on hold.
Law enforcement agencies raised concerns about money-laundering risks and data breaches exposing customers to cyberfraud.
The government is examining how transaction data would be processed, stored, managed, and the dispute resolution mechanism.
The first phase would have allowed Indian travellers to make UPI payments across Alipay+'s network of over 150 million merchants in China, Hong Kong, and other parts of Asia.
The second phase would have allowed international visitors to use Alipay+ to make payments in India.
The development comes seven months after reports first emerged about the proposed integration.

China-linked entities face significantly greater scrutiny in such reviews.
The scrutiny comes as India and China seek to stabilise bilateral relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit New Delhi later this month for the BRICS summit.
UPI is seeking to widen its international network across markets such as Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and France.

Alipay+ is operated by Ant International, a Singapore-headquartered digital payments and fintech company.
Ant International was spun out of China's Ant Group as an independent entity in 2024.
Alipay+ operates as a global wallet gateway, allowing users of participating mobile wallets and banking apps to pay at overseas merchants.
Alipay+ claims to connect over 1.8 billion user accounts across over 40 payment partners with over 150 million merchants globally.