In a major boost to India’s digital payment ecosystem, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, announced several new features for UPI. The updates aim to make payments more faster, secure and convenient for users. One of the key announcements is on-device biometric authentication. This feature allows users to authorise UPI payments directly through their smartphone’s built-in security, such as fingerprint or face recognition, instead of entering a PIN.
Users have to opt in to use the biometric authentication, giving them control over how they want to authenticate transactions. Each payment is independently verified by the issuing bank using strong cryptographic checks, ensuring safety while keeping the experience simple and smooth.
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Another important feature is Aadhaar-based Face Authentication for UPI PIN setup or reset. Previously, users had to provide debit card details or use Aadhaar OTP verification to set or reset their UPI PIN. With this new option, users can verify their identity using Aadhaar’s facial recognition technology. This makes the process faster and more inclusive, especially for first-time users, senior citizens, and those without easy access to cards. In the future, this method may also be used for authenticating transactions.
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The Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor, T. Rabi Sankar, also announced the UPI Multi-Signatory Accounts feature, which allows joint account holders to authorise payments with multiple signatories. Another key announcement is UPI Lite for wearable devices, enabling small-value transactions through smart glasses. Users can make hands-free payments by scanning a QR code and authenticating via voice, without using a phone or PIN.