Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

@article{206951,
        author = {Deepa P and Dr.Vennila A},
        title = {The Exponential Growth of Digital Payments: Assessing UPI Accessibility Among Consumers in Ammapet Area, Salem},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {2},
        pages = {3377-3380},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=206951},
        abstract = {The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has drastically changed India's retail economic framework over the past decade. While macro-level growth numbers are staggeringly high, localized, semi-urban pockets present unique dynamics regarding structural and behavioral accessibility. This study assesses UPI accessibility among 60 consumers in the Ammapet area of Salem, Tamil Nadu. Adopting a descriptive research design, primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The findings reveal that while technical accessibility (smartphone ownership and internet connectivity) is near-universal, behavioral and situational barriers—such as network downtime, fear of transactional fraud, and lack of digital literacy among older cohorts—persist. The study concludes with practical recommendations for payment service providers to improve offline UPI features and simplify interfaces for broader financial inclusion.},
        keywords = {Digital Payments, UPI Accessibility, Consumer Behavior, Salem, Financial Inclusion.},
        month = {July},
        }