To enhance the stability and efficiency of digital payments, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced a set of regulatory changes to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), set to come into effect from August 1, 2025. These new norms are designed to reduce the load on the UPI ecosystem during peak hours and ensure smoother, more reliable transactions for users. The updated rules will be implemented across all UPI-enabled applications such as PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, and others.
Here’s a breakdown of the key updates that UPI users need to know:
- Cap on Bank Balance Checks
Starting August 1, UPI users will be able to check their bank account balance only 50 times per day per UPI app. This restriction aims to ease pressure on the API systems, particularly during high-traffic periods.
- Account Balance Display After Transactions
Despite the cap on balance check attempts, users will now see their updated account balance automatically displayed after every successful UPI transaction. This feature ensures transparency while discouraging frequent manual balance checks.
- Scheduled Auto Payments in Off-Peak Hours
To manage system load better, auto-debits for recurring payments—including OTT subscriptions, EMIs, and SIPs—will now be processed only during non-peak hours: before 10:00 am and after 9:30 pm. The move is expected to reduce traffic during daytime hours when person-to-person transactions are at their peak.
- Limits on Accessing Bank Account Details
Users seeking to retrieve bank account details linked to their mobile numbers will be limited to 25 requests per day. This includes actions like fetching account info or initiating new mandates linked to their accounts.
- Restrictions on Payment Status Checks
Users will now be able to check the status of a pending UPI transaction only three times, and each attempt must be spaced at least 90 seconds apart. This is aimed at preventing server overload caused by frequent refreshes or repeated queries during transaction delays.
Why These UPI Changes Matter?
The UPI platform, which handles billions of transactions every month, has seen an exponential rise in usage, especially across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. While this reflects growing digital penetration, it has also placed immense pressure on backend infrastructure. By introducing these new norms, the NPCI hopes to streamline backend operations without disrupting user convenience.
Users are advised to update their apps regularly and stay informed about any additional notifications from their respective banks or UPI platforms. For now, these changes are not expected to impact the core functionality of sending or receiving money via UPI.
