Pilot 5Final study 20
Method · p. 6How did UPI reshape the way Gen X handles money?
A study of transaction patterns among people aged 45–60, as UPI adoption grew alongside continued cash use.
Context
UPI launched in 2016. How have Gen X payment habits changed since?
Problem
Gen X uses digital payments but gets little research attention.
Existing UPI studies focus on younger users, despite Gen X actively using digital payments.
“There’s very limited research targeting Generation X” — Research gap, p. 3
Existing UPI studies
Research has focused on younger users.
What we did
We studied Gen X payment habits through interviews and thematic analysis.
The study at a glance
Participant sample, study setting and analysis coverage.
How we analysed it
Four stages from pilot questions to six themes.
1 / 4
What we did
Ran a pilot study with five participants to refine questions before the main interviews.
OutputRefined questions
Findings
What changed, and what still depends on cash?
More than half avoid UPI for amounts above ₹5,000Reliability and safety concerns · p. 14
- 01
UPI is preferred for everyday transactions because it is easy and hassle-free.
- 02
Cash is used only when necessary, as it is seen as risky, inconvenient, and hard to manage.
- 03
Users have noticed increased expenditure with UPI, but these purchases are rarely regretted.
- 04
Users have some reliability and safety concerns while using UPI.
- 05
UPI is preferred for its everyday convenience, security, and ease of use.
- 06
Users perceive UPI as a trusted and recommended option.
Impact
Design for trust, reliability, and existing habits.
Make reliability visible
Clear status and recovery can address concerns about failed payments and weak networks.
Design for cash continuity
Keep digital payment journeys useful when UPI or the network is unavailable.
Support spending awareness
Make transaction history easy to review and understand.
Balance friendly with formal
Use a tone that feels approachable while supporting trust in formal transactions.
Learnings
Adoption is a relationship, not a switch.
What drove adoption
Ease of use, with safety, familiarity and reliability shaping trust.
Where cash stays
Cash remained a useful complement when digital payments could not be used.
What’s next
Verify the “no-regret” spending finding at larger scale, and study other regions, socioeconomic backgrounds and older age groups.