Global Fintech Fest 2026: PhonePe becomes first app to enable Visa's tokenisation, tap to pay and cross-border payments

PhonePe and Visa today jointly announced the launch of three new payment solutions: Tap to Pay, Cross Border Scan to Pay, and Smart Accept. Unveiled on stage by leadership from both organizations at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026, the partnership makes PhonePe the first app in India to introduce Cross Border Scan to Pay for international transactions.

Furthermore, PhonePe becomes the first app to enable a complete suite of three core Visa capabilities for consumers: Online Device Tokenization, Tap to Pay, and Cross Border Scan to Pay. Additionally, the platform is empowering micro-merchants with card acceptance through Smart Accept.

Building upon the Visa Device Tokenization launched on the platform in February 2025, this initiative establishes a seamless, cardless payment ecosystem. Once users save their Visa card on PhonePe, they can simply tap their phone to pay at stores, check out online at their favorite merchants, or scan QR codes while traveling abroad, eliminating the need to carry physical cards altogether.

Key Features of these payment solutions include:

• Tap to Pay: Android users can tokenize their Visa cards to make contactless payments at Point-of-Sale (POS) machines, even in low-connectivity environments. Tap to Pay will roll out progressively in phases, starting September 9, 2026.
• Cross Border Scan to Pay: Unveiled at the launch event, this feature allows users to scan Visa-supported QR codes across 14 key international markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, and South Korea, removing currency exchange friction for Indian travelers abroad. This feature will be rolled out to users soon.
• Unified Online Tokenization: Integrated into the platform, users enjoy a secure 'save once, use everywhere' checkout experience across all participating e-commerce merchants. Millions of consumers are already experiencing this feature on the PhonePe platform.
• Smart Accept: Also unveiled at the launch event, this feature empowers small merchants to accept card payments directly on their smartphones without buying a separate card POS machine. Customers can pay by tapping physical cards or tokenized mobile wallets directly against the merchant's device, eliminating the need for separate POS hardware. The solution brings the cost of card-present device ownership to zero, offers seamless onboarding and optimized commercial rates, and fully integrates card payments into PhonePe's existing QR dashboard for unified daily reconciliation and simplified dispute resolution.

Speaking on the launch, Rahul Chari, Founder & CPTO at PhonePe said, “At PhonePe, our vision has always been to build technology that makes payments universally accessible, intuitive, and secure. Partnering with Visa is a pivotal milestone in scaling that vision globally. By unifying online tokenization, Tap to Pay, and Cross-Border QR payments alongside Smart Accept for merchants, we are removing friction across the entire payments value chain. Through this partnership, we are not just digitizing cards, we are establishing a new standard for borderless and cardless commerce for Indian consumers and micro-merchants alike.”

Suresh Sethi, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, Visa, said, “India is at the forefront of the global digital payments revolution, and Visa is proud to be a catalyst in this transformation. Our partnership with PhonePe is another step forward in this direction and reflects a shared vision to make trusted, secure and frictionless commerce accessible to every Indian, across borders. By bringing together our global network, tokenization capabilities, and PhonePe's unparalleled reach, into a seamless experience, we are not just simplifying payments, we are reimagining how India connects with the global economy. This collaboration reaffirms Visa's vision of being the best way to pay and be paid worldwide, delivering payment experiences that are as secure as they are effortless.”

PhonePe Limited (Formerly PhonePe Private Limited) is a technology company that builds digital platforms for Payments, Digital Distribution Services and Financial Services. Headquartered in India, the PhonePe digital payments app was launched in 2016. As of July 2026, PhonePe has over 71.5 Crore life-till-date registered users and a digital payments acceptance network spread across over 5 Crore merchants.