The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced significant updates to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system. These changes will take effect from August 1, 2025, and are designed to improve efficiency, reduce infrastructure load, and prevent misuse of digital payment tools.
Let’s explore what’s changing and how it affects both users and businesses.
1. Balance Enquiry Limit – 50 Times Per App Daily
You will now be allowed to check your bank account balance only 50 times per day per app. This limit is specifically for manual balance requests.
👉 Apps will no longer be allowed to conduct background balance checks, reducing unnecessary server load.
2. Linked Account Display API – 25 Requests Per Day
The API that displays all linked bank accounts (called the List Account API) will now be limited to 25 requests per user per day per app.
This change is aimed at optimizing server performance and reducing data-fetching redundancy.
3. AutoPay Execution Time & Retry Limit
From now on:
All scheduled recurring payments (like EMIs, utility bills, OTT subscriptions) will be processed only during non-peak hours.
Each AutoPay mandate will allow a maximum of 4 total attempts:
✅ 1 original attempt + 3 retry attempts.
This helps reduce transaction failures during peak hours.
4. Inactive UPI ID Will Be Disabled
If a UPI ID is tied to a mobile number that has been inactive for more than 12 months, it will be automatically deactivated.
Why?
To prevent fraud or misuse after a number is reassigned to a new user.
5. UPI Transaction Status Check – Now Limited
Users can check the status of a transaction only 3 times, and there must be a 90-second gap between each attempt.
Also, unconfirmed transactions will update faster, avoiding the frustration of long “pending” statuses.
6. Recipient Name Display Before Payment
Before sending money via UPI, the system will now display the full registered name of the recipient along with the transaction ID.
✅ This will help users avoid fraud and mistaken payments.
What’s NOT Changing?
Daily transaction limit (Rs. 1 Lakh) remains unchanged.
Peer-to-peer (P2P) and regular merchant transactions will continue as usual.
Only background APIs and system-based requests are affected by these new rules.
Impact on Users and Businesses
- Most users will not feel a major impact unless they frequently perform balance checks or transaction verifications.
Recurring payment systems need to adapt to new execution timings.
Stronger verification and KYC processes will be required due to API restrictions.
Why These Changes Matter
India’s UPI ecosystem is rapidly expanding. NPCI is preparing for:
Higher volumes of digital payments
Faster and more secure transactions
Scalability for global integration
These new UPI rules are intended to protect users, reduce fraud, and ensure India’s fintech infrastructure can handle the next decade of digital growth.
