On Saturday, April 12, 2025, a major disruption in UPI (Unified Payments Interface) services left millions of users across India struggling to make digital payments. Platforms like Paytm, PhonePe, and Google Pay experienced widespread technical issues, causing failed transactions and user frustration during the late morning hours.
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.
— NPCI (@NPCI_NPCI) April 12, 2025
We regret the inconvenience caused.
Massive Outage Reported on Downdetector
According to outage-tracking site Downdetector, the problem peaked around 11:30 AM, when a surge in complaints flooded the platform. A significant 76% of users reported facing issues while trying to make payments, while 23% said they were unable to transfer money at all.
Users took to social media to express concerns, sharing screenshots of failed payments and error messages across leading UPI apps. The issue affected not just individuals, but also businesses that rely heavily on seamless digital transactions for daily operations.
Second UPI Glitch in 10 Days
This isn’t the first time users have faced UPI troubles recently. A similar issue occurred earlier on April 2, where users reported failed UPI payments on platforms like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm.
According to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which operates UPI, these disruptions often stem from performance inconsistencies in partner banks. On April 2, some banks reportedly had lower-than-usual success rates for payment processing, leading to widespread slowdowns in the UPI network.
Major Banks Also Affected
The impact of the UPI outage extended to some of the country’s biggest banking institutions, including HDFC Bank, State Bank of India (SBI), and Kotak Mahindra Bank. These banks, which form a backbone of the UPI ecosystem, saw a drop in successful transactions and delays in fund transfers.
As more Indians shift towards cashless payments, such outages highlight how deeply integrated UPI has become in the financial lives of both individuals and enterprises. From grocery shopping to ride-hailing apps and bill payments, UPI is now a default payment method for millions.
What is UPI?
UPI (Unified Payments Interface) is an instant real-time payment system developed by the NPCI and regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It enables users to transfer money instantly between bank accounts using mobile apps — without incurring any fees.
Its convenience, security, and interoperability with numerous banks and apps have made it a cornerstone of India’s digital economy.
What’s Next?
As of now, NPCI and partner banks are expected to investigate the root cause of the April 12 disruption. Although services resumed gradually in the afternoon, the incident raised concerns about the growing dependency on digital payment systems and the need for more robust infrastructure.
Users are advised to keep alternate payment options handy and stay updated through their banks and payment apps for official announcements.
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.
— NPCI (@NPCI_NPCI) April 12, 2025
We regret the inconvenience caused.
