How to Use Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments in India: A Step-by-Step Guide

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a series of new digital payment initiatives at the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai on Tuesday. A key highlight is the introduction of biometric and wearable glass-based authentication for UPI transactions, aimed at making digital payments faster and more convenient. This new feature lets users verify UPI payments using their smartphone's fingerprint or face unlock instead of entering a UPI PIN manually. Customers can opt in and set this as their preferred authentication method for added ease and security. 

Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments: All You Need to Know

Initially, UPI transactions using biometric authentication will be limited to Rs. 5,000, with the cap to be reviewed later. Using fingerprints or facial recognition available on a user's smartphone is expected to make UPI payments easier and safer, especially if implemented securely with proper safeguards.

The biometric authentication for UPI payments removes the need to enter or remember PINs, making payments more convenient for users, particularly senior citizens and those less familiar with digital systems. Since PINs can be forgotten or compromised, biometrics offer a stronger layer of security, as fingerprints and face scans are far more difficult to steal or duplicate. It can also help reduce transaction failures caused by incorrect or forgotten PINs, ensuring a smoother payment experience.

The NPCI has published guidelines on how to make UPI payments using biometric authentication on its website. We've created a handy guide that will help you pay without entering your PIN after support for biometric authentication rolls out to your UPI app.

Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments: Is It Safe?

However, it's worth considering that there are some downsides to using fingerprint or face authentication for UPI payments. While it offers speed and convenience, it also increases the risk of accidental transactions. Unlike PIN entry, where users can still cancel or correct mistakes, biometric authentication processes the payment instantly once verified. Similarly, you can reset your UPI PIN, but your biometrics are permanent.

For PIN-less biometric UPI payments, user consent and security checks are mandatory. When a UPI app completes a new device login or binding, it must request fresh consent before allowing biometric transactions. If a user changes or resets their UPI PIN, the issuing bank must disable biometric authentication for that account until the user reactivates it.

To maintain security, UPI apps must update their encryption keys at least once a year. If a user doesn't make any biometric transactions for 90 days, the feature becomes inactive and can be re-enabled only after user confirmation.