The National Payments Corporation of india (NPCI) — the body that governs the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) — has introduced significant new rules and changes to how UPI transactions work in India. These changes began rolling out in 2025, with many coming into effect from august 1, 2025 onward, and are aimed at improving stability, security, and scalability of India’s most popular wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW'>digital payment system.
🔎 Why These New UPI Rules Were Introduced
UPI has grown exponentially, handling over 12 billion transactions per month. This surge puts pressure on system infrastructure, especially during peak times, leading to slowdowns, outages, and increased potential for fraud. To address these issues, NPCI has revised UPI operational guidelines to balance user convenience with reliability and safety.
🔄 Major Changes in UPI Transaction Methods
1. ✅ Limits on Balance Checks
Users can now check their bank balance via UPI apps only up to 50 times per day per app. Excessive balance checks previously were putting strain on backend systems. NPCI believes this will reduce unnecessary load without significantly impacting normal usage.
➡️ What it means for you:
- If you hit the limit, you’ll be prevented from checking balance again on that app for 24 hours.
- Your available balance will automatically show after every successful UPI payment, reducing the need for manual checks.
2. 📊 Controlled Access to bank Details & Accounts Linked
Accessing the list of bank accounts linked to your mobile number through a UPI app can now be done up to 25 times per day. This prevents automated systems or repeated queries from overwhelming bank APIs.
3. ⏱️ Restrictions on Transaction Status Checks
Instead of repeatedly refreshing to see whether a transaction is completed or pending, users must wait at least 90 seconds before checking the status, and can do this only three times per pending transaction. This reduces repetitive server queries that slow down services.
4. 🕐 AutoPay (Recurring Payments) Only During Non‑Peak Hours
Scheduled recurring payments (like utility bills, OTT subscriptions, etc.) will now be processed only during non‑peak hours — before 10 AM or after 9:30 PM. This helps balance system load during the busiest periods.
5. 🧾 Payee Name Display Before Sending Money
To reduce fraud and wrong transfers, UPI apps are now able to show the registered name of the recipient and their bank details before you confirm a transaction. This improves transparency and protection for users.
🔐 Other Operational Rules
📉 System‑Level API Limits for Stability
NPCI has asked banks and payment service providers (PSPs) to limit certain automated API calls (like balance checks and status inquiries), especially during peak hours, to avoid outages. Systems must be monitored and controlled for speed and transaction‑per‑second (TPS) limits.
🛡️ Enhanced Fraud Prevention
Some changes also aim to strengthen fraud controls, such as reversing or limiting dubious transaction patterns and enforcing tighter validation of user actions. This helps make UPI payments safer for everyone.
📅 When Did These Changes Take Effect?
- August 1, 2025: Many rules like balance limits, autopay scheduling, and transaction checks began to be implemented.
- Earlier in 2025 (April onwards): NPCI also announced related guidelines to improve security and system integrity.
📌 How These Changes Impact Everyday Users
Transaction Aspect
What’s New
User Impact
Balance checks
Max 50/day
Prevents server overload; auto-display post‑payment
Linked accounts list
Max 25/day
Reduces excessive system queries
Transaction status
Up to 3 checks with 90s gap
Limits repeated status requests
AutoPay
Only in non‑peak hours
Ensures faster and smoother processing
Payee details
Displayed before transfer
Reduces errors and fraud risk
🏁 Summary
The new UPI rules introduced by NPCI are designed to make India’s digital payments more stable, secure, and efficient in the face of enormous growth. While some limits might affect extremely frequent users, most changes aim to strengthen the system and improve the overall experience across UPI platforms such as Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and banks’ apps.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, employer, or company. All information provided is for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers are advised to verify facts and seek professional advice where necessary. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.
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