Early adoption shows demand among self-employed professionals, Gen Z consumers and users from Tier II and Tier III cities
Mumbai, August 11, 2026: Kiwi, a Credit-on-UPI platform in India, has reported strong early adoption of Kiwi Postpaid, its Credit Line on UPI solution launched in partnership with YES BANK.
Within the first 30 days of its launch, nearly half of Kiwi Postpaid users were new to credit cards, according to the company. The early adoption indicates the potential of Credit on UPI to provide easier access to regulated credit for first-time users across India’s large UPI merchant network.
The company said the initial response has been particularly strong among consumer groups that have traditionally faced barriers to accessing credit cards. One in three Kiwi Postpaid users is self-employed, while 50% of users come from Tier II and Tier III cities.
Nearly 30% of Kiwi Postpaid users belong to Gen Z, highlighting demand for digital-first credit products among younger consumers and those outside the country’s major metropolitan markets.
Credit on UPI Targets a Wider Consumer Base
India’s UPI network has become one of the country’s most widely adopted digital payment systems. However, access to traditional credit cards remains limited compared with the scale of UPI usage.
According to Kiwi, only around 5 crore Indians have access to credit cards. The company believes Credit Line on UPI can help address this gap by providing a credit card-like payment experience through the UPI ecosystem.
The approach could potentially help expand access to credit to India’s next 50 million credit card users, without requiring consumers to change the way they make their everyday payments.
Kiwi said its early user data points towards demand for simple and regulated credit products that can work within existing digital payment habits.
The initial adoption has also shown traction among consumers who are not traditionally the primary audience for credit card products. Self-employed professionals, users from Tier II and Tier III cities and younger consumers have all formed a significant part of Kiwi Postpaid’s early user base.
Everyday Spending Drives Initial Usage
Consumer behaviour during the initial launch period indicates that Kiwi Postpaid users are primarily relying on the product for everyday UPI purchases, rather than discretionary high-value expenses.
The company said Kiwi Postpaid has recorded strong approval efficiency as well. Nearly 95% of eligible applicants were approved for a credit line within two hours.
Kiwi Postpaid enables consumers to access credit lines of up to ₹50,000 through the Kiwi app. These credit lines can be used for everyday UPI payments across categories including groceries, travel, dining and other daily expenses.
The product has been developed in partnership with YES BANK and is designed to provide users with access to regulated credit while also helping them build and strengthen their credit profiles through timely repayment.
Kiwi Highlights Demand Beyond Metro Consumers
Siddharth Mehta, Co-Founder and COO of Kiwi, said UPI has already become the primary payment method for millions of Indians, while access to credit cards has remained limited for many consumers.
According to Mehta, the early adoption of Kiwi Postpaid shows that Credit Line on UPI can help bridge that gap.
He said the company is seeing first-time credit card users, self-employed professionals and consumers from Tier II and Tier III cities using Kiwi Postpaid for everyday spending.
Mehta added that bringing credit into the UPI ecosystem can make credit card-like access simpler, faster and more relevant for India’s next generation of consumers.
The early user profile also highlights how digital credit products can reach consumers beyond traditionally served metro and salaried segments.
YES BANK Partnership
Speaking about the partnership, Anil Singh, Country Head, Credit Cards & Merchant Acquiring, YES BANK, said UPI has transformed India’s payment ecosystem and will continue to influence the industry across the country.
Singh said YES BANK is focused on delivering a strong customer experience while building on the growth of UPI.
According to him, the partnership with Kiwi on UPI credit cards has recorded strong adoption and a positive customer response.
He said Kiwi Postpaid is extending credit lines on UPI to a broader customer base, with early traction among new-to-credit users and consumers outside Tier I cities.
Singh also highlighted YES BANK’s digital onboarding and underwriting capabilities, saying these would support seamless and responsible access to credit at scale.
About Kiwi
Kiwi is operated by Gokiwi Tech Pvt. Ltd. and is a fintech company focused on building Credit-on-UPI products for Indian consumers.
As a certified entity, Kiwi enables users to access Credit on UPI through partnerships with banks for RuPay credit cards and credit line products.
The company said it has issued more than 2 lakh RuPay credit cards on Kiwi within two years.
Kiwi aims to become one of India’s leading Credit-on-UPI platforms as it expands access to credit through the country’s widely used digital payment ecosystem.
The early performance of Kiwi Postpaid indicates growing interest in credit products that combine the familiarity of UPI payments with access to regulated credit. With nearly half of its first-month users new to credit cards, and significant adoption among self-employed professionals, younger consumers and people in Tier II and Tier III cities, the company is positioning Credit Line on UPI as a way to reach consumers beyond the traditional credit card market.
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