Digital Rupee: What is a digital rupee, how different is it from UPI, and what are the risks involved?
- bySherya
- 14 Jul, 2026
Digital Rupee: What is a digital rupee, how is it different from UPI, and how is it used? Learn about the advantages, disadvantages, and potential risks associated with the digital rupee.

What is a digital rupee?
Digital Rupee: Digital payments are becoming increasingly common in India. Most people transfer money through UPI in seconds. But now, another term is being discussed in the UPI world: digital rupee. Many people think that digital rupee and UPI are the same thing, but that's not true. While both are used for digital payments, their working methods are completely different. If you also want to use digital rupee, learn here what digital rupee is and how it differs from UPI. It also explains the potential risks involved.
What is a digital rupee?
The digital rupee is a central bank digital currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India. Simply put, it's a digital version of the rupee. Just like you have a 100 rupee note, the digital rupee is also equivalent to 100 rupees. The only difference is that it's stored in a mobile app or digital wallet.
What is the difference between UPI and digital rupees?
Now, when we discuss the difference between UPI and digital rupees, the biggest difference is that UPI is a payment system, while digital rupees are a currency in themselves. When you send money to someone using UPI, the money goes from your bank account to the other person's bank account. In digital rupees, however, the money first flows from the bank account to the digital wallet and then is transferred from there to the other person's digital wallet. This means it's similar to a cash transaction.
How does it work?
To use digital rupees, you need a digital rupee wallet from a bank that is affiliated with the RBI's project. Digital rupees are loaded into the wallet from your bank account. After this, digital rupees can be transferred by scanning a QR code or directly to another wallet.
What are the risks?
Digital currency is quite safe, but that doesn't mean it's free of risks. Losing your mobile phone and your wallet could be a problem.




