From Friday, August 1, 2025, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will introduce a new set of guidelines on all UPI apps. These new guidelines are designed to curtail fraud, offload server volumes during rush hours, and enhance user experience. The apps Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm have to comply with these guidelines. From limiting balance checks and auto-debit timing to limiting status checks, the new system will make it simpler for individuals to use UPI on a daily basis. Users will be able to view recipient names, restricted bank detail requests, and quicker status updates, making it more transparent and safer.
Each UPI user can now have their bank balance checked as many as 50 times a day. To manage system load when there is high traffic, apps can suspend or restrict balance enquiry requests. Another big shift: users will be shown their available balance in each transaction they initiate.
Recurring payments like subscriptions and utility bills will now be processed only during off-peak windows and these include before 10 am, between 1-5 pm, and after 9:30 pm. This also helps to prevent overloads on API systems during busy hours. If the transaction fails, the app will retry before cancelling the auto debit.
Users can view bank information only 25 times a day and they have to manually trigger this action after choosing the issuing bank within the UPI app. This prevents unnecessary loading and ensures improved performance.
To minimize confusion in pending transactions, UPI will now permit users to check the status of a payment merely three times, with a 90-second interval between each check. This prevents excessive status checks that clog the system. Instead of a pending tag, the system will try to validate transaction status in seconds.
Before making a money transfer, users will now be able to view the registered recipient name and the transaction ID. The feature avoids incorrect transfers and minimizes fraud opportunities.
NPCI has informed all UPI providers that non-acceptance will result in API restrictions, penalties, suspensions in customer onboarding, or any other stringent measures. The overall objective is to make digital payments safer and easier for everyone.
