Understanding the New UPI Features Launched in India -

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has revolutionized how India transacts, making digital payments seamless and instantaneous. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the RBI are constantly innovating to make the system even more powerful and inclusive. Several new UPI features have been rolled out recently that every user should know about, as they are designed to solve real-world problems.

One of the most significant updates is ‘UPI Lite X’ for offline payments. This feature allows users to send and receive money even when there is no internet connectivity on either the sender’s or the receiver’s phone. It uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, making it incredibly useful in remote areas, basements, or during network outages.

Another game-changing feature is ‘Conversational Payments’. Using the power of Artificial Intelligence, users can now simply talk to their UPI app to make a payment. You can say something like, “Pay five hundred rupees to my friend Rohan,” and the AI-powered system will process the transaction after your confirmation, making it more accessible for people who are not comfortable navigating complex app menus.

Furthermore, NPCI has introduced features like ‘Tap & Pay’, which uses NFC for card-less transactions at merchant outlets, similar to tapping a credit card. For recurring payments, the ‘UPI AutoPay’ feature has been enhanced with more flexibility in setting mandates for subscriptions and bills.

These new UPI features are not just incremental updates; they represent a major leap towards making digital payments truly universal and user-friendly for every Indian. As these features get integrated into popular apps like BHIM UPI, Google Pay, and PhonePe, they will further cement India’s position as a global leader in digital finance.