UPI transactions set to get faster from June 16, more upgrades on the way
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has made it quick and easy for Indians to send and receive money online. Now, it's set to become even faster. Beginning today, UPI transactions will be processed more swiftly, and several other important changes are planned for implementation after July.According to a circular issued by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on April 26, 2025, the goal is to reduce the response time for various UPI services, thereby improving the overall user experience. These improvements will benefit banks, users, and popular payment apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm.UPI RESPONSE TIME TO BE HALVEDThe NPCI is working on improving the speed of UPI transactions. For example:Transactions such as money transfers, transaction status checks, and reversals that earlier took 30 seconds will now be completed in 10 to 15 seconds.Verifying UPI addresses (like mobile numbers or UPI IDs) will now take just 10 seconds, instead of 15 seconds earlier.These improvements will ensure users face fewer delays during UPI payments. The NPCI has instructed all member banks and payment service providers to update their systems to meet these new time limits.MORE CHANGES COMING IN AUGUSTAnother circular issued on May 21, 2025, discusses further changes that will come into effect in August. These updates aim to enhance the security and reliability of UPI, particularly during peak traffic hours.Here are the key upcoming changes:Balance Enquiry Limit: Users can check their bank balance up to 50 times per day through their UPI app.List of Linked Accounts: Customers can view up to 25 linked accounts per day in the app.Autopay Mandate Rules: For automatic payments, only 1 attempt and 3 retries will be allowed for each mandate. These retries will happen only during non-peak hours to avoid adding pressure during busy times.advertisementPeak UPI hours have been defined as 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm, when transactions are at their highest. NPCI has asked all banks and partners to follow these guidelines and make the necessary system updates by July 31, 2025.India's digital payment system is getting faster, smarter, and more controlled. With quicker transactions and stricter rules to manage traffic and retries, users can expect an even smoother UPI experience in the coming months.
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