CEMAC (regional) vs India · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | GIMACPay | UPI |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ◐ | ✓ |
| Wallet Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISO 20022 | — | — |
| Request to Pay | — | ✓ |
| Open API | ◐ | ✓ |
| Alias/Proxy | ✓ | ✓ |
CEMAC region's interbank interoperable retail payment platform, operated by GIMAC (Groupement Interbancaire Monétique de l'Afrique Centrale) under BEAC regulatory oversight. Covers six Central African countries (Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea) with a shared XAF rail. Connects banks, microfinance institutions, mobile money operators, payment institutions, public treasuries and fintech aggregators, supporting person-to-person, wallet-to-bank and card-to-wallet transfers across all six countries. Mobile money now accounts for roughly three-quarters of transaction volume.
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.