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Let’s be honest, you’ve seen it. You’re scrolling through Instagram stories, past the vacation photos and cafe aesthetics, and there it is: a stark, utilitarian screenshot of a UPI transaction. “Payment of ₹7,500 to ‘Goa Trip Fund’ was successful.” Or maybe it’s a WhatsApp status from a friend, a screenshot showing she received ₹2,000 from her partner with the note, “New Dress Money <3”. In any other part of the world, broadcasting a personal financial transaction would be considered strange, perhaps even vulgar.
But in India, this act has morphed into a rich and complex form of social communication. The humble UPI screenshot has evolved from a mere digital receipt into a powerful tool for social signalling, a modern-day status symbol, and a new language to define our relationships and experiences online.
The Evolution of ‘Dikhawa’: From Gold to GPay

The desire to display one’s social standing is as old as Indian society itself. This concept of dikhawa (showing off) or conspicuous consumption has always been a part of our cultural fabric. For generations, status was signalled through tangible assets: the thickness of a gold chain, the size of a diamond on a wedding ring, and the brand of a car parked outside the house. In the digital age, this deep-seated impulse didn’t disappear; it just found a new medium.
The UPI screenshot is the 21st-century equivalent of casually leaving the price tag on a new designer handbag. It’s a subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) way of saying, “Look at what I can afford. Look at the life I am living.” The screenshot for the Goa trip isn’t just about confirming a payment; it’s a public announcement. It says, “I am financially capable of going on vacation,” “I have a fun and active social life,” and “I belong to a group that does these things.”
Dr. Meera Vashisht, a digital sociologist who studies Indian internet culture, explains, “Financial transactions were traditionally private. But UPI, by making them cost-free and easy to capture, has turned them into artefacts of social performance. Sharing a payment screenshot is a low-effort, high-impact way to construct a public identity. It’s not just about wealth but about participation in a certain kind of lifestyle. It’s less about the amount and more about what the amount was for.”
The Currency of a Relationship: Proof of Payment, Proof of Love
Beyond status, the payment flex has become a bizarre but effective tool for relationship validation. In a world where online presence is paramount, the UPI screenshot serves as irrefutable ‘proof’ of a relationship’s dynamics.
When a partner posts a screenshot of money received for a gift, a meal, or just a random ‘treat yourself’ fund, the underlying message is a public declaration. It communicates care, financial support, and a certain level of intimacy. It says, “My partner pampers me,” a statement that carries significant social currency. It’s the digital version of a partner bringing you flowers at work—a public gesture designed to be seen by the peer group.
This extends beyond romantic relationships. A screenshot of a sibling sending money for Rakhi, or a friend paying their share for a group dinner, all function to solidify social bonds in the public eye. It’s a way of saying, “We are a unit that functions smoothly, trusts each other, and takes care of one another.” The transaction note—“For being the best brother”, “Dinner on me tonight”—becomes a public caption to their relationship story.
The Public Ledger: Transparency, Trust, and Trolling
Of course, not every shared screenshot is a status flex. In many cases, it serves a highly functional purpose rooted in community and trust. Anyone who has ever tried to collect money from a large group for a trip, a birthday gift, or a shared flat’s rent knows the logistical nightmare it can be.
Here, the UPI screenshot becomes a tool of radical transparency. The group admin posts a screenshot of the total amount collected or a payment made to a vendor, creating a public ledger. It preempts questions, builds trust, and holds everyone accountable. It’s the dharma of group finance—a fair and open record for all to see. In this context, sharing isn’t showing off; it’s a gesture of responsibility.
But this transparency can also be weaponised, turning into a tool for social pressure or even passive-aggressive trolling. A screenshot shared in a group chat showing that everyone except one person has paid up is a powerful and public nudge. And the playful sharing of a ₹1 transaction with a snarky note—“My contribution to your wealth”—is a uniquely digital form of friendly banter, where money itself becomes the punchline.
A New Financial Vernacular
What we are witnessing is the birth of a new financial vernacular. We have taken a technology designed for pure utility and have layered it with all the complexities of Indian social life—our love for spectacle, our deep-seated need for community validation, and our intricate webs of social obligations.
This behaviour also raises questions about our evolving relationship with financial privacy. We are a generation that will fiercely protect our passwords but willingly broadcast our spending habits. This paradox suggests that for many, the social capital gained from a public financial display outweighs the traditional value placed on privacy.
The payment flex is a testament to our incredible ability to adapt technology to our cultural predispositions. We didn’t just adopt UPI; we remoulded it in our own image, turning it into a tool for storytelling. Every shared screenshot is a short story about our lives, our relationships, and our aspirations. It may seem frivolous, but it’s a rich, unfolding text on what it means to be Indian in a hyper-connected, digital world.
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