NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has introduced biometric authentication for UPI payments on the BHIM Payments App. The feature enables users to approve transactions up to ₹5,000 using fingerprint or facial recognition, aiming to make digital payments faster and more secure. The facility is available on both Android and iOS devices that support biometric capabilities. With this update, users can complete transactions without entering a UPI PIN for smaller payments, reducing failed transactions caused by incorrect PIN entries. The feature can be used across multiple use cases, including peer-to-peer transfers, merchant QR payments, and online transactions.
Lalitha Nataraj, MD & CEO of NBSL, said the move is aimed at simplifying digital payments while enhancing security. “By enabling users to confirm transactions through their fingerprint or face unlock, we are reducing reliance on PIN entry while keeping payments closely tied to the user,” she said.
Biometric authentication adds an extra layer of security, as fingerprints and facial data are unique and stored on the device. However, transactions above ₹5,000 will continue to require UPI PIN verification.