8B and PayU have entered a strategic partnership to enable UPI and other Indian payment methods across Central Asia, creating a seamless payment experience for Indian travellers.
The collaboration integrates PayU’s APIs with 8B’s merchant network spanning Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, allowing Indian users to pay via UPI, net banking, and debit or credit cards without changing their payment habits. This marks a significant step in building a digital payments bridge between India and Central Asia, aligning with the rapid growth in tourism and trade between the regions.
India’s outbound travel market continues to expand, with Central Asia emerging as a key destination. However, payment friction has remained a challenge. This partnership addresses that gap by enabling merchants to accept Indian payment methods through existing infrastructure—eliminating the need for new hardware or complex onboarding.
Beyond tourism, the initiative supports broader economic ties, as Indian consumers increasingly transact with Central Asian businesses across sectors such as travel, digital services, and commerce. By simplifying cross-border transactions, the partnership is expected to improve merchant conversion rates and unlock new revenue opportunities.
“Payments should not be a barrier to global travel or trade. This partnership enables Indian consumers to pay effortlessly abroad while helping merchants tap into a fast-growing market, strengthening the digital commerce corridor between India and Central Asia,” said Nikhil Mehta, PayU.
