If your mobile number has been inactive for a long time, you won’t be able to do UPI transactions from April 1, 2025. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced new rules that will automatically deactivate UPI IDs linked to inactive numbers. This change aims to enhance security and improve the user experience.
In such a situation, if you want to continue using UPI apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm without interruption, then it will be necessary to keep the mobile number registered with your bank active. Let us know what effect these new rules will have on your digital payments.
What are the new rules related to UPI?
UPI service will be stopped on an inactive number
If your mobile number registered with the bank has been inactive for more than 90 days, then your UPI ID will be automatically deactivated. According to the rules of the Telecom Department, a mobile number can be assigned to a new user after 90 days of disconnection. If a customer’s mobile number is not being used for calls, messages, or data, then such numbers are deactivated by telecom providers. These numbers are called recycled or churned numbers.
Banks and UPI apps will have to update mobile numbers every week.
NPCI has made it mandatory for banks and UPI service providers (such as Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm) to update their users’ mobile numbers every week. This will prevent wrong UPI transactions and fraud.
The old UPI ID will not work on the number assigned to the new user.
If an old number is assigned to a new user, the old UPI ID associated with it will not work. This will ensure that the new user does not get access to the banking details of the old user.
Permission will have to be taken from the user for UPI ID.
Now banks and UPI apps will have to get permission from their customers whether they want to use the numeric UPI ID feature or not. This option will be opt-out by default, which means the user will have to turn it on manually.
Why is this change important for you?
UPI has crores of transactions every month and it has become the most used digital payment system in India. But if your mobile number is inactive for a long time, then your banking service may be affected. Therefore, keep your bank records updated by understanding these rules so that you can take advantage of UPI service without any hassle.
Huge jump in UPI transactions last year
In 2024, there was a tremendous jump in UPI transactions in India. A total of 172.2 billion UPI transactions took place in a year, which is 46% more than in 2023. This new rule of NPCI has been implemented to make the UPI system more robust and secure, so that fraud and wrong transactions in digital payments can be prevented.
If you want to continue using UPI, keep the mobile number registered with your bank active and do not forget to update it from time to time.