From August 1, 2025, your experience using UPI apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, or Paytm may change as the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) introduces new rules to manage traffic more efficiently and reduce system overload. These updates are especially targeted at handling background transactions and peak-time loads, making the system more reliable during busy hours.
One of the most noticeable changes will be in the way you check your account balance. Each user will be allowed to perform only 50 balance enquiries per UPI app per day. This limit applies to direct user requests and not background checks made by the apps. In fact, UPI apps will no longer be allowed to refresh balances automatically in the background. However, after every successful transaction, your updated balance will be shown on-screen, which should reduce the need to manually check it as often.
Another key change is the limit on how many times a user can view their linked bank account list. Now, each user will be allowed only 25 such requests per day. This is triggered when you try to fetch the list of bank accounts linked to your mobile number through the app. If the request fails, the system will not retry automatically; the app must ask for your permission to try again. This aims to prevent overuse of the network through repeated failed requests.
Recurring auto-debit transactions, such as those for OTT subscriptions or EMI payments, will now be handled during off-peak hours only — either before 10 AM or after 9:30 PM. This is being done to reduce the burden on the system during high-traffic hours when most people are making manual transactions. It ensures that automatic payments don’t interfere with regular user activity.
Additionally, a new rule has been introduced to limit retries on failed auto-debit transactions. Now, the system will allow just one main attempt and up to three retries, totaling four chances to complete a payment linked to a mandate. This change is meant to avoid unnecessary strain on the system caused by repeated failures of the same transaction.
Lastly, NPCI has made it clear that all banks and UPI apps must implement these changes by July 31. Failure to comply may result in penalties, including being blocked from accessing UPI APIs or being restricted from onboarding new users. These rules underline the seriousness of ensuring that the UPI infrastructure remains robust and efficient as its usage continues to grow across India.
