The infrastructure would allow merchants to receive payment confirmations through a single soundbox, regardless of the QR code used by customers for the transaction
A merchant currently needs separate devices for different providers like Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, among others
Paytm highlighted that its subscription merchant base grew to 1.5 Cr in the last quarter of FY26, aided by device-led expansion, including soundbox deployment
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is working on building a common interoperable infrastructure for UPI soundboxes to enable a single device to process UPI payments across different payment apps.
Citing sources, ET reported that the back-end infrastructure would allow merchants to accept payment from any QR code and use the same device for the settlement services. The NPCI’s common platform would be compatible with QR codes of all fintech players.
The infrastructure would allow merchants to receive payment confirmations through a single soundbox, regardless of the QR code used by customers for the transaction, the sources added.
Inc42 has reached out to the NPCI for comments on the development. The story will be updated on receiving a response.
Currently, most soundboxes are closed systems which are compatible with their respective company’s ecosystem. A merchant currently needs separate devices for different providers like Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, among others.
With a common UPI soundbox infrastructure, the device would be efficient to support payment from any UPI app. This will reduce hardware duplication for the merchants.
While the move is expected to benefit merchants, it will likely impact the revenues of fintech companies. Most fintech players typically charge merchants a monthly rental fee for soundbox devices.
Notably, soundboxes are witnessing rising adoption among merchants, including kirana stores, street vendors, small retailers, restaurants, food stalls, and other local businesses.
For instance, Paytm highlighted that its subscription merchant base grew to 1.5 Cr in the last quarter of FY26, aided by device-led expansion, including soundbox deployment. The company has also integrated AI into its soundbox devices — enabling business insights, customer notifications and merchant support.
Last year, IPO-bound PhonePe launched an upgraded version of its smartspeaker, with enhancements in connectivity and power efficiency to boost digital payments for offline merchants across the country. As per its UDRHP, PhonePe had 9.19 Mn net deployed payment devices across its merchant network as of September 30, 2025. These devices include its soundbox, called smartspeaker, and EDC machines.
Last year, SaaS giant Zoho also unveiled a smart POS device and static QR with soundbox to expand its fintech offerings under Zoho Payments.
The development comes at a time when UPI has become the default digital transaction method for day-to-day needs. The number of UPI transactions stood 22.35 Bn in April.
Earlier today, Paytm launched ‘Paytm Pocket Money’ to offer UPI payments for teenagers without any bank account, where parents and guardians can keep a track on the spending and control access with defined limits.
Source: Inc42 - Startups
