In a strategic move, 8B, a fintech infrastructure company based in Central Asia, and PayU, an India-focused diversified fintech platform, have partnered to introduce UPI and other Indian payment methods to the merchant network of 8B across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and surrounding regions.

By incorporating PayU’s APIs into 8B’s existing infrastructure, Central Asian businesses can now accept a variety of payments from Indian customers through UPI, net banking, and RuPay cards. No additional hardware or separate merchant onboarding is required for this integration.

These transactions flow seamlessly through the merchant’s current system with new payment channels added to enhance acceptance options. In Kazakhstan, Zesta LLP acts as a licensed local payment entity to ensure compliance and facilitate these cross-border payments.

Context for Growth in Tourism and Trade

This partnership aims to bridge the gap between increasing Indian tourist visits to Central Asia and the existing payment infrastructure. In 2025, Kazakhstan welcomed around 250,000 Indian tourists, marking a significant jump from the previous year’s count of approximately 146,000 visitors. Additionally, there has been an increase in Indian arrivals to Uzbekistan, with numbers up by about 22.7% over the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. India is now a top market for Almaty’s foreign tourists.

In terms of trade, bilateral exchanges between India and Kazakhstan reached USD 923.3 million in 2025. The collaboration is intended to enable Indian consumers to purchase goods and digital services from Central Asian merchants more easily, ensuring that funds are efficiently remitted to merchant accounts overseas.

Commenting on the development, Bogdan Zadorozhny, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at 8B, highlighted that this move enhances cross-border commerce by making it as seamless as domestic transactions. Nikhil Mehta, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at PayU, underscored that this partnership lays the groundwork for a robust digital payment ecosystem connecting India’s vast consumer base with Central Asia’s dynamic travel and commerce sectors.