UPI Gets Smarter: Biometric and Aadhaar Face Authentication Introduced for Faster, Safer Payments
In a major upgrade to India’s digital payment ecosystem, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Department of Financial Services have introduced new features to make UPI payments faster, safer, and more convenient.
Users can now authorize UPI payments using their smartphone’s fingerprint or face recognition, eliminating the need to enter a PIN. Each transaction is securely verified by the issuing bank through strong cryptographic checks.
Another key update is Aadhaar-based Face Authentication for setting or resetting UPI PINs, allowing users - especially senior citizens and new users - to verify their identity through facial recognition instead of debit cards or OTPs.
Additionally, the RBI announced UPI Multi-Signatory Accounts for joint account holders and UPI Lite for wearables, enabling small payments through smart devices using voice or gesture commands.
These innovations mark a major step in making digital payments in India more secure, inclusive, and effortless.
