KKN Gurugram Desk | The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced a series of regulatory changes to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system, set to take effect from August 1, 2025. These measures aim to enhance system stability and prevent outages by moderating the usage of specific Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) within the UPI network.

Key Changes to UPI Services

1. Daily Limit on Balance Enquiries

Users will be restricted to a maximum of 50 balance check requests per UPI application each day. This limitation is designed to reduce unnecessary load on the UPI infrastructure.

2. Autopay Mandate Execution During Non-Peak Hours

Autopay mandates, such as those for subscriptions or recurring payments, will only be processed during non-peak hours, specifically outside 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. This scheduling aims to distribute transaction loads more evenly throughout the day.

3. Restrictions on Transaction Status Checks

In the event of a pending transaction, the first status check can only be initiated 90 seconds after the transaction is authenticated. Subsequent checks are limited to a maximum of three within any two-hour window.

4. Limit on Viewing Linked Bank Accounts

Users will be allowed to request the list of bank accounts linked to their mobile number up to 25 times per UPI application per day. Each request must be initiated by the user and will require explicit consent.

5. Mandatory Balance Notifications Post-Transaction

Banks are now required to provide users with their account balance information immediately following each successful UPI transaction. This measure is intended to reduce the frequency of separate balance enquiries.

Compliance and Enforcement

NPCI has mandated that all Payment Service Providers (PSPs) and banks must comply with these new guidelines by July 31, 2025. Failure to adhere may result in penalties, API access restrictions, or suspension of new customer onboarding.

Implications for UPI Users

These changes are expected to streamline UPI operations and minimize system downtimes. Users are advised to be mindful of the new limits and plan their transactions accordingly to ensure uninterrupted service.

For further details on the updated UPI regulations, users can refer to the official NPCI circular.