The Chennai-based software powerhouse, known for its business productivity suite, is set to shake up India’s digital payments landscape with the launch of a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) app called Zoho Pay. The move marks ambitious entry into the consumer fintech space, an area already dominated by established players like Google Pay, PhonePe and Paytm.
Zoho Digital Payments
Now Pay is a significant step in its broader effort to expand into the financial technology space beyond traditional SaaS offerings. Having already established itself as a B2B payments player through Zoho Payments – a solution that enables businesses to manage billing, invoicing and collections via UPI – the company is now focusing on empowering everyday consumers.
Co-founder Sridhar Vembu has long advocated for India’s digital self-reliance, and this UPI app is in line with that vision. Built entirely in India and powered by domestic data centers, Zoho Pay adds a layer of freedom to India’s cashless ecosystem.
What set Pay apart from its competitors is its deep integration with Zoho’s native messaging app, Aratai. Users will be able to send or receive money directly within chat threads—turning conversations into transaction hubs. Whether splitting a meal bill or sending funds to family, users won’t have to switch between apps.
Design parallels the trends seen with WeChat Pay in China and WhatsApp UPI in India but with a strong privacy-focused foundation. Zoho’s design philosophy focuses on a seamless, ad-free, and analytics-free user experience. Its strong data protection approach means there is no third-party tracking or monetization of user data.
Read more: Fintech with Zoho Pay UPI App