Central Asian fintech infrastructure company 8B has partnered with PayU Payments to enable UPI and other Indian payment options for merchants across Central Asia, marking a step towards building a cross-border payments corridor between India and the region.
Under the partnership, PayU’s APIs will be integrated into 8B’s merchant network across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, allowing Indian users to pay using UPI, net banking, and domestic cards at merchants in these markets.
The integration allows merchants to accept Indian payments through their existing infrastructure, with UPI added as an additional payment layer. Beyond UPI, the system will also support net banking and Indian debit and credit cards, including RuPay, expanding the range of payment options available to travellers.
The move comes as travel and commerce between India and Central Asia continue to grow, with Indian consumers increasingly spending on services such as travel bookings, digital products, and cross-border purchases in the region. The companies said enabling familiar payment methods is expected to reduce friction at checkout and improve conversion for merchants.
Speaking about the partnership, Bogdan Zadorozhnyi, Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, 8B said, “The India–Central Asia corridor is moving faster than the rails, roads, and payment systems built to serve it. The Indian visitor landing in Almaty today comes with digital habits shaped by UPI. Asking them to navigate a different payment experience abroad creates unnecessary friction. This is about making cross-border commerce feel as effortless as commerce at home – it opens the door to a broader commercial relationship in which tourism is only the starting point.”
“Our collaboration represents a significant step forward in PayU’s international growth strategy, through which we’re not just enabling transactions, we’re laying the foundation of the future of digital payments infrastructure between the two economies, one that connects India’s digital-savvy consumers with Central Asia’s rapidly growing travel and commerce sectors,” Nikhil Mehta, Senior VP, Partnerships & Business Head – Growth Initiatives (Cross Border Payments & Affordability), PayU further added.
In Kazakhstan, transactions will be processed through Zesta LLP, a locally licensed payment organisation, ensuring compliance with domestic regulations.