UPI apps must restrict non-customer payments during peak hours.
Autopay mandates to be processed during non-peak hours.
PSPs must confirm adherence by August 31, 2025.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued new guidelines to improve UPI’s efficiency. The circular has directed the banks and banks and payment service providers (PSPs) to regulate the use of the 10 most commonly used UPI APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) by July 31, 2025. Starting August 1, 2025, the UPI apps will limit the number of usage of APIs, including balance inquiry, transaction status check, and autopay mandate fulfilment, in a day. As cited, the high usage volume put significant strain on the UPI network causing outages.
Here are all the details on the NPCI’s new UPI regulations
NPCI to restrict UPI API usage
According to NPCI’s circular, from August 1, the balance inquiry requests will be limited to 50 times per app per day for every customer. Additionally, UPI apps are asked to queue, rate-limit, and restrict non-customer payments requests during peak traffic hours, defined as 10 AM to 1 PM and 5 PM to 9:30 PM to reduce the strain. The banks are also directed to send an account balance notification to the user after every transaction to avoid manual balance checks.
Similarly, autopay mandates are also instructed to be processed during non-peak hours and at moderated transaction-per-second (TPS) rates. Each autopay mandate can have one attempt and up to three retrials.
Furthermore, the list account request, which displays the list of all accounts associated with a user’s mobile number, can only be initiated 25 times per app within a 24-hour period. Notably, this can only be initiated after the customer selects the issuer bank in the UPI app.
NPCI has also said that the PSPs must submit a formal undertaking by August 31, 2025, confirming compliance with these new rules. Failure to comply with these guidelines could result in serious consequences such as API restrictions, monetary penalties, and even suspension of new customer onboarding.
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Himani Jha
Himani Jha is a tech news writer at Digit. Passionate about smartphones and consumer technology, she has contributed to leading publications such as Times Network, Gadgets 360, and Hindustan Times Tech for the past five years. When not immersed in gadgets, she enjoys exploring the vibrant culinary scene, discovering new cafes and restaurants, and indulging in her love for fine literature and timeless music. View Full Profile
