UPI users in India faced payment failures on Paytm, SBI, and Google Pay due to another outage. Find out what caused the disruption, user reactions, and NPCI’s response.
UPI Outage Strikes Again: Paytm, SBI, Google Pay Users Hit by Payment Failures
Another UPI Disruption Leaves Users Stranded – What Happened?
Table of Contents
For the second time this week, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) suffered a major outage, leaving thousands of users unable to complete digital transactions. The issue, which primarily affected Paytm, SBI, and Google Pay, led to widespread frustration as payments failed, transactions stalled, and app functionalities broke down.
According to Downdetector, a website that tracks real-time outages, complaints regarding UPI malfunctions peaked in the late afternoon and evening. Users flooded social media with reports of failed payments, delayed refunds, and unresponsive banking applications.
Extent of the UPI Outage – Key Statistics
Reports from Downdetector revealed a significant spike in outage complaints:
- At 8:00 PM, user complaints reached 449, indicating a widespread issue.
- 53% of users reported problems with fund transfers.
- 64% of complaints were related to UPI transactions failing entirely.
- 28% of users experienced direct payment failures.
- 8% of users reported issues with the app functionality.
SBI UPI Users Face Severe Issues
The State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest bank, saw a large share of user complaints:
- 57% of SBI users faced fund transfer problems.
- 34% of users reported mobile banking issues.
- 9% of users struggled with account balance updates.
Peak Outage Times
- UPI issues surged between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
- SBI customers faced the worst disruptions at 10:00 PM, when complaints peaked at 87 reports per minute.
Social Media Erupts Over UPI Failure
As soon as the outage hit, frustrated users took to X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and WhatsApp to vent their concerns. Many users shared memes, jokes, and complaints about their inability to make payments.
One user posted:
“Visited an ATM after ages today to withdraw money, and now I’m hearing UPI is down!”
Another user sarcastically tweeted:
“Looks like UPI is down again!! Time to carry cash like it’s 2010!”
Memes featuring “cash is king” and screenshots of failed transactions quickly went viral.
Why Did the UPI Outage Happen?
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which operates UPI, has yet to issue a formal explanation for the outage. However, experts speculate that server overloads and increasing transaction volumes may be straining India’s digital payment infrastructure.
Possible Causes:
- Technical Glitch: An issue within NPCI’s servers or a banking network failure.
- Traffic Overload: India’s rapid adoption of UPI has increased daily transactions, possibly leading to congestion.
- Bank-Specific Issues: SBI saw a higher percentage of failures, suggesting possible internal technical failures.
Is UPI Becoming Unreliable?
India’s digital payments ecosystem has expanded rapidly, with UPI processing over 11 billion transactions in a single month (as of December 2023, NPCI data). However, frequent outages raise concerns about reliability, system capacity, and backup measures.
Previous UPI Outages:
- March 2024: Users reported intermittent issues on popular payment apps.
- February 2024: A similar outage led to failed transactions and delayed refunds.
Experts suggest that India’s banking infrastructure needs to scale further to prevent such breakdowns in the future.
How Can Users Avoid Payment Failures?
Given UPI’s increasing reliance, users can take a few steps to stay prepared for such outages:
1. Keep Backup Payment Options
- Carry some cash for emergencies.
- Have an ATM or debit card as an alternative.
- Use credit cards for essential payments.
2. Use Multiple UPI Apps
- If one app is down, try another (e.g., if Paytm fails, use PhonePe or Google Pay).
3. Monitor Downdetector for Real-Time Updates
- Before making large transactions, check if UPI is experiencing issues.
4. Contact Customer Support for Refunds
- If a transaction fails but money is debited, reach out to your bank’s helpline or NPCI’s grievance cell.
India’s digital economy depends heavily on seamless UPI transactions, but frequent outages raise serious concerns. The latest UPI failure on Paytm, SBI, and Google Pay frustrated users across the country, once again highlighting the need for a stronger and more resilient payments infrastructure.
While NPCI has yet to address the cause, users must remain prepared with alternative payment methods. With India pushing for a cashless economy, ensuring UPI’s reliability is now more important than ever.
Also read: Foundation Stone Laid for Madhav Netralaya Eye Hospital & Research Centre
Last Updated on: Thursday, April 3, 2025 11:31 am by Rahul Chourasia | Published by: Rahul Chourasia on Thursday, April 3, 2025 11:31 am | News Categories: News
About The Author
Leave a Reply