🇲🇾 DuitNow vs 🇮🇳 UPI

Malaysia vs India · Real-time payment systems compared

🇲🇾 DuitNow

Malaysia

2025 Transactions4.5 billion

2025 Value (USD)$330.0bn

Volume YoY+28.6%

Launched2018

OperatorPayNet

SettlementInstant

🇮🇳 UPI

India

2025 Transactions228.3 billion

2025 Value (USD)$3.6tn

Volume YoY+32.6%

Launched2016

OperatorNPCI

SettlementInstant

Key differences

UPI processes 51× more transactions than DuitNow (228.3 billion vs 4.5 billion in 2025).
UPI is growing faster year-on-year (32.6% vs 28.6%, a 4.0 point gap).
UPI (2016) predates DuitNow (2018) by 2 years.
Both systems support QR code payments, cross-border, request-to-pay.
DuitNow uniquely supports ISO 20022.

Infrastructure comparison

Capability	DuitNow	UPI
QR Code Payments	✓	✓
Wallet Support	✓	✓
24/7 Availability	✓	✓
Cross-Border	✓	✓
ISO 20022	✓	—
Request to Pay	✓	✓
Open API	✓	✓
Alias/Proxy	✓	✓

About each system

DuitNow

Malaysia's unified real-time payment platform operated by Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet). DuitNow supports instant transfers via mobile number, NRIC, passport number, or business registration, with DuitNow QR enabling interoperable merchant payments across all banks and e-wallets. The system also includes DuitNow Request (request-to-pay) and DuitNow Autodebit for recurring payments. Cross-border QR linkages with Thailand's PromptPay, Singapore's PayNow, and Indonesia's QRIS are live or in progress.

UPI

Unified Payments Interface is a real-time interbank payment system built on top of IMPS infrastructure, enabling instant mobile payments via QR code, phone number, Aadhaar, or virtual payment address (VPA). With 300+ participating banks and 50+ third-party apps (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm), UPI processes 14B+ transactions per month and has become India's dominant payment method for both P2P and merchant payments. Now expanding internationally with cross-border linkages to Singapore's PayNow and other ASEAN systems.