Fintech giant to deepen its merchant network across smaller towns and villages, with around half of the new devices earmarked for rural India
20,000+ New Jobs Planned
PhonePe is set to expand its frontline workforce by hiring more than 20,000 on-roll sales employees over the next 12 months. The new employees will focus on strengthening the company’s merchant network across smaller towns and villages in India.
50 Lakh+ Payment Devices to Be Deployed
Alongside the hiring drive, PhonePe plans to deploy more than 50 lakh, or 5 million, payment devices over the coming year. The rollout will include SmartSpeakers and point-of-sale (POS) devices designed to support digital payment acceptance among merchants.
Rural India at the Centre of Expansion
Approximately 50% of the new payment devices are expected to be deployed in rural India, including Tier 6 towns and villages. The move is aimed at taking digital payment infrastructure deeper into areas where merchants may have had more limited access to organised payment infrastructure.
Sales Teams to Support Merchant Onboarding
The expanded workforce will have a frontline role in merchant acquisition and support. According to PhonePe, employees will help onboard merchants, complete KYC procedures, install payment devices and provide ongoing support after deployment.
Expansion Follows Changes in the UPI Merchant Payments Framework
PhonePe said the recently announced MDR framework is enabling it to take a longer-term approach to merchant expansion. The company also pointed to a dedicated fund using 5% of MDR collections for small-merchant expansion, particularly in deeper rural markets.
Strengthening India’s Digital Payment Infrastructure
The planned expansion comes as digital payments continue to reach smaller businesses across India. By combining a larger on-ground sales workforce with millions of new payment devices, PhonePe is positioning its merchant network for wider coverage across rural and semi-urban markets. The company said the expansion could also bring more small merchants into the formal financial ecosystem.
PhonePe’s 12-month plan represents a significant investment in the physical infrastructure and workforce supporting India’s digital payment ecosystem. The effectiveness of the expansion will depend on merchant adoption, sustained device usage and the company’s ability to provide continued support across smaller towns and villages.