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Indian traveller's Google Pay fails at Singapore airport, post sparks debate on UPI abroad
An Indian traveller’s failed UPI payment at Changi Airport has prompted users to discuss the challenges of making digital payments abroad.
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An Indian traveller visiting Singapore has shared his frustrating experience of trying to pay using Google Pay (GPay) at Changi Airport. Despite the growing reach of India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the transaction failed, leaving him questioning how reliably the payment system works overseas.
Why did GPay fail in Singapore?
The post was shared by X user Nikhil George, who described his experience of attempting a UPI transaction at The Cocoa Trees in Singapore's Changi Airport.
In the caption, he wrote, "Tried paying with UPI at The Cocoa Trees in Changi Airport today. The cashier warned me upfront that it almost never works, but I insisted on trying. Scanned the QR using GPay and it just stalled and threw: 'Could not get conversion rate. Try scanning again.'"
He added, "Despite all the headlines about UPI going global, ground-level reliability abroad still has a long way to go. Keep your cards handy."
His experience also raised questions about how reliably UPI works outside India. While international UPI payments give Indian travellers another way to pay, they may not work at every merchant or location.
For travellers, a failed payment can mean having to rely on a debit or credit card, or keep some cash handy as a backup.
Take a look:
Internet reacts to international UPI payments
The post drew mixed reactions, with some users raising concerns about exchange rates and payment failures, while others shared positive experiences with international UPI transactions.
"Even if it works, the exchange rate kills it. UPI abroad and ONDC are both DOA products," one user commented.
Another person pointed out that GPay worked for them on international booking websites, writing, "International booking sites have GPay. On the web, it works."
Some users also discussed the challenges of using Indian bank cards overseas. "Not to mention, using an Indian card abroad is a nightmare. You can't use Apple Pay, and contactless payments don't work for amounts above $50. A lot of apps also reject the card because they require continuous authentication," a comment read.
Others shared different experiences with UPI payments outside India. "I think PhonePe is the most successful one for international UPI," one user wrote.
Another recalled trying the service in Sri Lanka, saying, "Had tried this in a couple of places in Sri Lanka. Failed everywhere."
However, not everyone reported problems. "Worked for me in two countries so far. It's very good," another user commented.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
