Sweden vs India · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | Swish | UPI |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wallet Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | — | ✓ |
| ISO 20022 | ✓ | — |
| Request to Pay | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alias/Proxy | ✓ | ✓ |
Sweden's dominant mobile payment app used by 8M+ people (in a country of 10.5M) for P2P transfers, in-store payments, and e-commerce. Swish transactions clear through the Bankgirot Immediate Payments (BIR) real-time clearing system. Founded by six major Swedish banks, Swish has been a key driver of Sweden's shift toward a nearly cashless society. Payments are initiated via phone number and settle instantly, with merchant payments supported via QR codes and Swish for Business.
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.