PhonePe has partnered with Visa to launch "Cross Border Scan to Pay," a service that lets Indian travellers pay by scanning QR codes across 14 international markets.

The service extends India's UPI-style QR payments beyond the country's borders. It was announced around September 9 at the Global Fintech Fest.

PhonePe has also secured a licence in the UAE, marking its first formal entry into the Gulf market. The company says UPI-linked services are now operational in about 11 countries.

The move puts PhonePe in direct competition with other payment apps racing to serve India's growing outbound tourism. Indians made record numbers of foreign trips this year.

Cross-border QR payments solve a real pain point for travellers, who currently juggle forex cards, cash and international card fees.

The partnership with Visa gives PhonePe access to the card network's global merchant reach, while Visa gains a foothold in India's QR-first payment culture.

Analysts say the real test will be merchant acceptance abroad and whether the service can match the low cost of domestic UPI transactions.