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Starting today, your everyday UPI habits might not feel the same especially if you’re the kind of person who checks their bank balance ten times before paying for pani puri.
From August 1, 2025, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced a set of new rules for UPI apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and others. And while nothing seems “major” at first glance, the impact on daily users could be surprising — especially during peak hours.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s changing and how it affects you
1. New Limit on Balance Checks: 50 Times a Day Max
Yes, you read that right.
If you’re someone who checks your bank balance compulsively, there’s now a daily limit of 50 balance checks per app.
Why? NPCI says this move is to reduce app overload during peak hours, which often causes slowdowns and failed transactions.
Also, banks will now be required to automatically attach the latest balance info with each UPI transaction — so ideally, you won’t need to keep checking manually.
2. Auto Payments Will Only Go Through at Fixed Times
If you use UPI for recurring payments — like EMIs, SIPs, Netflix, or other subscriptions — here’s the new rule:
Autopay transactions will only be processed during specific time slots:
- Before 10:00 AM
- Between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM
- After 9:30 PM
⚠️ Payments scheduled during 10 AM–1 PM or 5 PM–9:30 PM will either be delayed or executed earlier. So don’t panic if your EMI doesn’t go out at its usual time.
There’s also a retry system in place, but if that fails, the payment may not go through at all — so keep an eye on your mandates.
3. Limit on Fetching Linked Bank Details: 25 Times a Day
Another silent but important update.
From now, you’ll only be allowed to retrieve your linked bank account info 25 times a day. This applies when you try to view all accounts linked to your mobile number inside the UPI app.
This step is also aimed at reducing server load — especially from users who frequently switch between accounts or banks.
4. Faster Payment Status Updates — No More “Pending” for Hours
We’ve all been there: money is debited, but the other person hasn’t received it… and the app says “Processing.”
Not anymore.
Starting now, UPI apps must show the real transaction status within seconds — no more waiting endlessly to know if your payment failed or succeeded.
You’ll get 3 attempts to check the status, spaced 90 seconds apart. After that, the system won’t allow more retries immediately.
5. Recipient Name Will Be Clearly Shown Before You Pay
To avoid wrong transfers, UPI will now mandatorily display the registered name of the recipient before any payment is made.
No more second-guessing if the mobile number or UPI ID is correct — you’ll see exactly who’s getting your money.
This is a big win for safety and fraud prevention.
6. Why All These Rules?
NPCI says these changes are meant to reduce the load on banks and UPI apps during peak traffic hours, which often leads to failed payments, stuck transactions, and slow servers.
But beyond that, it’s also about making UPI more reliable, responsive, and scalable for the future.
What You Should Do Now:
- Avoid spamming balance checks
- Track auto-payment timings and mandates
- Always confirm recipient names
- Don’t panic if a transaction is slightly delayed — apps will now update quicker
- Spread the word — because a lot of people won’t know these rules changed today
TL;DR: UPI just got smarter and stricter. And your payments might feel a bit different.
Whether you’re a casual user or a UPI power-user, it’s worth adjusting your daily habits to these new rules.