UPI Now Works in Greece, Making It the Tenth Country Where Indian Travellers Can Pay by Phone

India's Unified Payments Interface went live in Greece on 30 June 2026, becoming the tenth country to accept UPI payments, through a partnership between NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Greece's Eurobank. The rollout was marked with a live demonstration at Eurobank's headquarters in Athens, witnessed by India's commerce and industry minister, Piyush Goyal, showing a transaction processed through the Eurobank mobile app's integration with UPI.

How it works for travellers

Indian travellers with UPI International enabled in their banking or payments app, such as Google Pay, PhonePe or BHIM, can scan a participating merchant's local QR code in Greece and pay directly, with the amount debited in rupees from their Indian bank account at the prevailing exchange rate. UPI International is switched off by default in most apps, so it needs to be turned on before departure rather than assumed to work automatically abroad.

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Nine countries before Greece

Greece joins a list that already included the UAE, Singapore, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, the last of which came online in June 2026 shortly before Greece through a tie-up with ACLEDA Bank. The expansion has followed a mix of tourist-driven markets, such as Sri Lanka, Mauritius and now Greece, and established trade or diaspora corridors, such as the UAE and Singapore.

What it doesn't change

UPI acceptance in Greece is currently limited to merchants signed up through the Eurobank partnership rather than blanket nationwide coverage, so cards or cash remain necessary as a backup at smaller establishments or outside participating networks. The facility also depends on both a working Indian bank account linked to UPI and a data connection at the point of payment.

Traveller tips

• Enable UPI International within your payments app before travelling; it's off by default and needs to be switched on in advance.
• Carry a backup card or some local currency, since UPI acceptance in Greece is still limited to merchants signed up through the Eurobank tie-up rather than universal.
• Transactions are settled in rupees from your Indian account at the day's exchange rate, so check your bank's applicable charges before relying on it for large payments.
• This article reflects the rollout live from 30 June 2026; confirm current coverage and participating merchants with your own bank or UPI app before travelling.