The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) recent proposal to introduce a one-hour delay for processing transactions exceeding ₹10,000 (approximately $120 USD) to new payees has sparked significant concern within the financial sector. Bankers and fintech executives argue that this move could disrupt the rapid growth and convenience of digital payments in India, particularly affecting the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has thrived on real-time transactions. Industry stakeholders are skeptical about the proposal's effectiveness in combating fraud, with some describing it as a situation where 'the cure is worse than the disease.' They emphasize that instead of imposing delays, authorities should focus on identifying and penalizing fraudsters. While the RBI's discussion paper includes exemptions for registered merchants and previously added payees, the broader implications for user experience remain a concern. With a substantial portion of UPI transactions being person-to-person, there are fears that the proposed delays could lead users to revert to cash transactions, undermining the progress made in digital payments.