PhonePe Teams Up with PickMe for Contactless Payments in Sri Lanka

PhonePe announced its collaboration with PickMe, Sri Lanka’s ride-hailing platform, to enable seamless UPI-based QR payments for Indian travelers in Sri Lanka. 

By integrating PhonePe’s UPI-based QR payment system into their platform, PickMe aims to minimise the stress for Indian travelers visiting Sri Lanka. PhonePe users can make secure and quick payments for their rides with UPI. 

Ritesh Pai, CEO, International Payments at PhonePe, said, “Our partnership with PickMe exemplifies the company’s commitment to provide Indian travelers with convenient and trusted payment solutions. Travel is all about exploring new cultures, and food and local shopping are integral parts of that adventure. Previously, navigating payments in a new country could be a hassle. Now, with PhonePe, Indian tourists visiting the beautiful island nation of Sri Lanka can enjoy the ease and security of UPI payments for their rides.” 

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Jiffry Zulfer, CEO of PickMe, added, “Currently, we are the only ride-hailing platform in Sri Lanka to offer such a service to Indian travelers, and we hope to continue to innovate so that we make our ride-hailing service a convenient, safe, and cost-effective mode of transportation for everyone. This collaboration not only enhances convenience for Indian travelers but also supports our mission to drive digital transformation in Sri Lanka’s transportation sector. By enabling QR payments, we are making travel easier and safer for tourists while also providing a new revenue stream for our drivers.” 

The collaboration follows the launch of PhonePe in Sri Lanka last month, wherein the Indian High Commissioner, H.E. Santosh Jha, urged companies in Sri Lanka to engage with Indian companies to build on the UPI stack for innovations in hotel bookings, cab bookings, delivery services, etc. 

UPI is being launched globally in different parts of the world, including Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, France, and Singapore. Recently, Peru became the first South American country to adopt UPI technology. The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has tied up with the Central Reserve Bank of Peru to develop the technology.