India launches tap-and-pay option for UPI payments without opening app

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on Thursday launched a tap-and-pay option on UPI that lets users complete transactions by tapping smartphones at point-of-sale terminals without opening UPI app. The feature uses near-field communication (NFC) technology and is designed to work in areas with little or no network connectivity, NPCI's non-executive chairman Ajay Kumar Choudhary said.