Is UPI a mobile app?

UPI, or Unified Payments Interface, is fundamentally a real-time instant inter-bank payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). While it is a payment system, it leverages the increasing smartphone adoption and deeper penetration of mobile data to allow immediate money transfers. Users access UPI functionality through various mobile applications, such as the NPCI-managed app, BHIM, and other third-party apps, making the service accessible via a mobile interface.