Is there a limit on export payments through a payment aggregator?
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Short answer
Yes. Paragraph 11(d) of RBI's Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator, dated 15 September 2025, caps each inward or outward transaction processed by a Payment Aggregator, Cross Border (PA-CB) at ₹25 lakh.1 The cap is per transaction and in rupees; a bank wire to your account with an Authorised Dealer bank is not subject to it, and some providers publish lower limits of their own.123
For most freelance designers, writers and tutors, a per-payment cap never matters. For an IT services firm billing a large project, or an agency on a big quarterly retainer, it can decide how the client has to pay.
What does RBI's limit say?
RBI's limit is ₹25 lakh per transaction. Paragraph 11(d) of the Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator says: "In respect of inward or outward transactions processed by a PA - CB, the maximum value per transaction shall be ₹25 lakh."1 It is set in rupees, so the dollar equivalent moves with the exchange rate, and it applies to export receipts and import payments alike.1
What limits do providers publish?
Providers publish their own limits, some lower than RBI's. These are the per-transaction limits stated on each provider's own India pages checked on 28 October 2026, listed alphabetically:34567
| Provider | Published limit |
|---|---|
| Cashfree Payments (Global Collections) | Invoice value up to USD 10,000 |
| PayPal | Using its export payment service for a product or service worth more than USD 10,000 per transaction is a restricted activity |
| PingPong | Exports of value not exceeding ₹25,00,000 per transaction |
| Stripe | Sole proprietorships, LLPs and companies: up to ₹25 lakh per transaction; Stripe says it cannot support international transactions for individual businesses |
| Wise | Minimum 5 USD and maximum ₹25 lakh equivalent per transaction; payments outside these limits are returned |
Other providers either do not publish a limit or were not checked for this page. See PA-CB licence list for which providers RBI has authorised.
What if your invoice is above the limit?
Use a channel that the PA-CB cap does not cover, usually a direct bank wire. Under the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, your Authorised Dealer bank credits an export receipt after satisfying itself the transaction is genuine, with no per-transaction rupee cap of this kind.2 Two other options, where the contract supports them:
- Milestone invoices for genuinely separate stages of work. See milestone payments in export contracts.
- An advance plus a balance. Regulation 10 requires the advance and the later realisation to go through the same bank, unless you inform both banks of a change.2
The background, including the older OPGSP dollar caps, is in PA-CB transaction limit for exports.
How did we verify this?
We checked this page against the sources below on 28 October 2026. Read our methodology or report an error.
- [1]RBI: Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator, 15 September 2025, paragraph 11(d)
- [2]RBI: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, amended up to 22 September 2026 (regulations 4 and 10)
- [3]Cashfree Payments Docs, Global Collections FAQs (checked 28 October 2026)
- [4]PayPal India, User Agreement for PayPal Services (last updated 13 January 2025) (checked 28 October 2026)
- [5]PingPong Service Terms and Conditions, Exhibit A (Applicable to Customer Location in India) (checked 28 October 2026)
- [6]Stripe Support, Export (international) transaction limits for Stripe accounts in India (checked 28 October 2026)
- [7]Wise Help Centre, Receiving payments for Indian businesses (checked 28 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is the ₹25 lakh limit per day or per invoice?+
Per transaction. RBI's Master Direction says the maximum value per transaction processed by a PA-CB is ₹25 lakh, and sets no daily, monthly or annual cap.1
Can I split a large invoice into several payments to stay under the cap?+
Only where the contract genuinely has separate stages or instalments. Splitting one payment artificially can lead a bank or provider to hold it and ask for documents.
Does the cap apply to a SWIFT wire to my bank?+
No. The cap applies to transactions processed by a PA-CB. A wire received by your Authorised Dealer bank is credited once the bank is satisfied the transaction is genuine.12
What happens if a client sends more than a provider's limit?+
It depends on the provider. Wise, for example, says payments above ₹25 lakh equivalent are returned to the sender.7
This page is general information for Indian service exporters, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and outcomes depend on your facts, so confirm with a chartered accountant before acting.
Keep reading
What is the PA-CB transaction limit for export payments?
RBI caps each cross-border payment aggregator (PA-CB) transaction at ₹25 lakh. What that means for invoices, how it compares with old OPGSP limits, and options.
RBI and FEMAWhat do RBI's PA-CB guidelines mean for Indian exporters?
RBI's 15 September 2025 Master Direction on Payment Aggregators explained for Indian service exporters: PA-CB rules, ₹25 lakh limit, InCA, settlement and EDPMS.
RBI and FEMAWhich companies hold an RBI PA-CB authorisation?
Which payment aggregators RBI has authorised for cross-border (PA-CB) inward and outward payments, as shown on RBI's own pages on 28 October 2026.
InvoicingHow do milestone payments work in export of services contracts?
How milestone billing works for Indian exporters with foreign clients: when to invoice under GST, how each milestone's realisation clock runs, and handling scope changes.