New provisions effective from today

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Changes in UPI rules in India

**UPI (Unified Payments Interface)**, the main means of digital payment in India, is now going to become more secure and faster. **National Payments Corporation of India** (NPCI) has announced the implementation of many new rules from February 2026, which have become effective from February 14. These changes will impact all UPI users, whether they are using **Google Pay**, **Phone Pay**, or **Paytm**.

limit on balance check

Now users can check balance up to 50 times a day on one app. If someone has two apps, they will be able to view the balance a total of 100 times. This step has been taken with the aim of reducing unnecessary load on the server.

Withholding of linked account details

The facility to view bank account list is now limited to only 25 times per app. This limit has been set to reduce the additional pressure on the banking system due to repeatedly viewing the account list.

New Autopay Transaction Timings

Now autopay transactions like subscription, EMI and bill payments will be processed only during non-peak hours. Each request will be processed a maximum of four times (one original attempt and three retries). This will reduce the load on the server and also reduce the possibility of transaction failure.

Deactivation of inactive UPI ID

If a UPI ID is not used for 12 months, it will automatically become inactive. This step has been taken to enhance security, as mobile numbers are frequently re-assigned.

Strictness in bank account linking

Now more stringent verification and authentication processes will be adopted to add a new bank account. Its purpose is to reduce the chances of fraud.

Fast API response

The response time of critical APIs related to UPI transactions has now been reduced from 30 seconds to 10 seconds, making real-time payments more seamless.

payment from credit line

From February 14, users will be able to make payments or withdraw money through UPI directly from the pre-approved credit line given by their bank or NBFC. This facility will be especially beneficial for those who feel the need for overdraft.

purpose of change

The purpose behind all these rules is:

• control server load
• strengthen security
• Minimizing Transaction Failure
• Providing a better experience to both customers and banks