The National Payments Corporation of India (commonly known as NPCI) and the Reserve Bank of India (commonly known as RBI) have introduced a new UPI payment feature, which will eliminate the need to enter a PIN. Users will soon be able to make payments through facial recognition or fingerprint verification on apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm.
This update aims to make digital transactions faster, safer and more convenient, especially for small daily purchases.
What’s special about the new UPI feature?
The new feature will enable users to complete transactions by using their biometric identity, either through their face or fingerprint. They will not need to enter their UPI PIN. NPCI has also introduced compatibility with smartglasses, which will enable users to make payments using wearable technology.
This feature will initially support transactions of up to Rs 5,000 per payment, making it ideal for smaller purchases like groceries, metro tickets, and online orders.
How does the Biometric UPI feature work?
Once the official feature is rolled out, users can easily activate the biometric feature from their UPI app itself. But if you need guidance, here are the steps to make the feature work for you:
- Open your UPI app (Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm).
- Select the contact or scan the QR code of the receiver.
- Enter the payment amount and select your bank account.
- Instead of entering a PIN, select the biometric option.
- The app will verify your Aadhaar-linked biometrics—such as face, fingerprint, or retina scan.
- Once verified, the payment will be processed instantly.
This eliminates the need to remember or repeatedly enter your UPI PIN, making transactions smoother and more secure.
When will the feature be available?
The biometric UPI option will be gradually rolled out in India across leading payment apps. NPCI has already confirmed that the feature will be available first for Android devices before expanding to iOS users.