Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has witnessed record growth in India, leading the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to introduce several policy changes effective August 1, 2025. These updates are designed to improve system reliability, security, and efficiency—especially during times of high usage. Here’s a summary of the critical changes every UPI user should know:
1. Daily Balance Check Limit
- Users can check their bank account balance via UPI only 50 times per app, per day.
- This limit applies individually to each UPI app you use (e.g., Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, Kiwi).
- The move is meant to reduce system load and prevent outages during peak periods.
2. Limit on Viewing Linked Accounts
- Viewing your list of linked bank accounts is now capped at 25 times per app daily.
- This change targets both manual and automatic “list accounts” API calls, curbing excessive backend requests that may slow down the system.
3. Status Checks for Pending Transactions
- Users can check the status of a pending UPI transaction only three times, with a mandatory 90-second interval between attempts.
- This reduces server stress and limits quick, repeated status refreshes that can contribute to slowdowns.
4. Scheduled Autopay Transactions
- Banks will now process all autopay and recurring payments (such as EMIs, subscription fees, and bills) only during specific non-peak hours: before 10:00 AM, between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM, or after 9:30 PM.
- Additionally, if an autopay mandate fails, there will be a maximum of four attempts (initial plus three retries), preventing repeated failed retries during busy periods.
5. Faster Resolution of Pending Transactions
- UPI apps must now display the final status (‘success’ or ‘failure’) of a transaction within seconds, ensuring users no longer need to wait or take repeated screenshots of “processing” screens.
6. Inactive UPI ID Deactivation
- The system will automatically disable any UPI ID linked to a mobile number inactive for more than 12 months.
- This change prevents misuse if mobile numbers are reassigned.
7. Stricter Bank Account Verification
- Stronger verification and validation checks will be in place for new bank accounts added to UPI.
- Enhanced security reduces fraud risk for new users/accounts.
8. Visible Beneficiary Bank Name
- Before confirming payments, the beneficiary’s registered bank name will now be visible, reducing the chance of misdirected or fraudulent payments.
9. Payment Reversal Limit
- Users can raise a maximum of 10 payment reversal requests per 30 days, with no more than 5 requests addressed to any single sender, aiming to curb misuse.
What Users Need to Do
- Most users do not need to change any settings. These rules are implemented automatically at the app and bank level.
- Heavy UPI users—especially those who frequently check balances—should be mindful of new daily limits and autopay schedules.
- Stay alert for new prompts in your UPI apps regarding status, verification, or limits.
Why These Changes Matter
With over 18 billion UPI transactions worth ₹24 lakh crore recorded in June 2025 alone, these new guidelines are crucial to keep India’s digital payment ecosystem stable, secure, and efficient—even as usage scales further.
Adapting to these new rules ensures everyone continues to enjoy fast, safe, and reliable payments—now and in the future.
