A tourist's lighthearted take on the classic struggle of getting small change in India has gone viral, sparking an online conversation about the country's digital payment revolution.
Travel vlogger Lee Veu shared the clip from the streets of Agra, near the Taj Mahal, where he found himself waiting for change after a purchase. In the video, he jokes, "Waiting for some change, brother went all the way to Delhi to get some change", a quip that quickly caught the attention of viewers.
While the tone was humorous, many Indians were quick to point out in the comments that cash transactions are increasingly rare, thanks to the country's rapid shift towards digital payments. From roadside stalls to small shops, most businesses today accept payments through UPI (Unified Payments Interface), leaving coins and small notes almost obsolete in many places.
Commenting on the video, a user wrote, "Foreigners visiting India can use digital payments primarily through UPI (Unified Payments Interface) using specialized wallets like UPI One World or CheqUPI. These wallets allow foreigners to load funds from their international cards and make payments at merchants accepting UPI. Additionally, some merchants might accept contactless payments via NFC (Near Field Communication) using Google Wallet. We're going digital dude."
Another user wrote, "Why use cash.. India is cashless brother."
"Just use google pay or paytm," the third user suggested.
According to a recent report by fintech firm Phi Commerce, UPI dominated India's payment landscape in 2024, accounting for 65% of all transactions. The study also revealed that nearly a third of digital payments were credit-driven, using cards or EMIS, especially for high-ticket purchases in sectors like education, healthcare, and automobiles.
Interestingly, spikes in credit usage tend to coincide with festive seasons and school admission periods, reflecting how Indian consumers balance between instant digital payments and short-term credit for bigger spends.
The report's findings are based on transaction data from over 20,000 merchants across the country, underscoring how deeply digital payments have penetrated every level of the Indian economy.
