Discovery Plus rolls out UPI AutoPay feature in India

NEW DELHI: Streaming platform discovery+ (Discovery Plus) on Thursday announced that it is rolling out its brand-new feature of UPI AutoPay as a payment method in the Indian market in association with the National Payments Council of India (NPCI).

The new feature, which supports automatic payments for recurring subscriptions, will be accessible on Android and direct web platforms, making it accessible for its new and existing users.

"At discovery+, we are committed to making our streaming experience as smooth as possible for our subscribers. Currently, most payment transactions on discovery+ India happen via UPI one-time payments and we noticed manual renewal for subscriptions was a major hindrance for our customers," Tushar Singh, Director of Product - International and Expansion - India, Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement.

"With NPCI's support and our payment partner -- Adyen, anyone with a discovery+ account in India will now be able to pay for their subscription using UPI AutoPay," he added.

UPI is India's most preferred phone-based payment mechanism launched by NPCI, through which users can instantly transfer money. UPI AutoPay is an upgraded version of UPI, allowing recurring payments in the future, avoiding the need for manual renewal of subscriptions through one-time payments to retain their subscriptions.

"We are delighted to collaborate with discovery+ to amplify the scope and reach of UPI AutoPay. We believe this association will change the way discovery+ subscribers make recurring payments in the future to seamlessly enjoy their preferred content," said Nalin Bansal, Chief of Corporate, Fintech Relationships and Key Initiatives, National Payments Council of India.