Gupshup launches GSPay, Enables UPI payments on feature phones to drive financial inclusion for 320 million users

Gupshup has introduced a native payment app called GSPay, enabling UPI payments for India's vast population using feature phones. This solution eliminates the need for numeric inputs and provides a payment experience through SMS messaging, without requiring internet connectivity or a data plan, said a statement from the company. With GSPay, feature phone users can now make payments by scanning QR codes.

Leveraging UPI 123 Pay, the instant payment system launched by RBI and NPCI, Gupshup.io aims to ensure secure and convenient payments for feature phone users. While previous solutions built on UPI 123 Pay utilized missed calls or an IVR-based system for payments, GSPay goes a step further by allowing new users to register for UPI, link bank accounts, and set UPI PIN, all within the embedded app on their phones.

The GSPay app offers users the choice to make payments via mobile number or UPI ID, completing transactions in a simple two-step process. Users need to enter the payee's mobile number or UPI ID, the payment amount, and their UPI PIN. Upon confirmation, the payment is successfully completed, and the user receives a notification.

To ensure accessibility at the grassroots level, the GSPay app is available in 12 Indian languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Odia, and Assamese. In a recent partnership with Nokia (HMD Global), Gupshup.io enabled GSPay on Nokia 105 (2023) and Nokia 106 4G feature phones.

With over 51.3% of Indians lacking internet access, GSPay fills a crucial gap by enabling utility and P2P payments without requiring a data connection. The app facilitates bill payments, sends actionable payment reminders, and provides transaction tracking for outgoing and incoming transactions on UPI. Multiple levels of encryption and authentication are incorporated into the app to ensure user security.

Beerud Sheth, CEO and Co-founder of Gupshup.io, expressed excitement about the potential impact of GSPay: "Our mission is to leverage the power of messaging to enable rich consumer experiences. With GSPay, we utilize the SMS messaging channel to deliver a seamless payments experience on feature phones. This innovative capability will bring the vast number of feature phone users into the digital and payments ecosystem. We are delighted to collaborate with NPCI, Nokia, and Airtel Payments Bank to make this a reality."

Gupshup collaborated extensively with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to develop GSPay. The solution, formerly known as Gupshup.io, emerged as the winner of NPCI's Grand Challenge in 2020. Outperforming 750 innovators from around the world, GSPay provided a pioneering payment system solution for feature phones in India. The challenge, initiated in November 2019 by NPCI and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sought to drive financial inclusion through technological advancements.