These UPI Transactions Will Be Restricted Under NPCI’s New API Rules: Check Details
Starting July 31, 2025, UPI users will face new restrictions on how often they can perform certain non-financial actions, such as checking account balances or viewing transaction statuses. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced these limits to manage network load better and keep UPI services stable during peak hours.
Why These Changes Are Happening
With UPI’s popularity soaring, NPCI wants to avoid system slowdowns caused by too many simultaneous API requests. These APIs power everyday actions like balance inquiries, autopay setups, transaction status checks , and account listings. To ensure smooth service for everyone, NPCI has directed banks and payment apps to closely monitor and limit high-frequency API calls starting July 31.
What Are the New Limits?
Peak Hour Restrictions and User Impact
The busiest UPI hours - 10 AM to 1 PM and 5 PM to 9:30 PM - will see stricter limits. During these times, apps are encouraged to avoid frequent balance checks. Instead, banks will automatically send updated balances after each successful transaction. While this helps reduce system strain, users may not always see real-time balance updates on demand.
Musharraf Hussain, COO of Ezeepay, notes that frequent checkers, such as traders, might find this change inconvenient, but it’s necessary to keep the UPI system stable and accessible to all.
Ensuring Compliance and Security
Banks and payment service providers (PSPs) must adhere to these rules or face penalties, including possible restrictions on adding new users. They are required to confirm by August 31 that API requests are well-managed, especially those triggered automatically by their systems.
Additionally, acquiring banks must conduct annual security audits by CERT-In approved auditors, with the first audit deadline also set for August 31.
What This Means for You
NPCI’s new API usage rules aim to make UPI smoother and more reliable as transaction volumes grow. By setting smart limits on how often certain requests can be made, especially during peak times, UPI services should become faster and less prone to outages - benefiting millions of users across India. If you’re a frequent UPI user, it’s a good time to adjust your usage habits before these changes take effect later this year.
Why These Changes Are Happening
With UPI’s popularity soaring, NPCI wants to avoid system slowdowns caused by too many simultaneous API requests. These APIs power everyday actions like balance inquiries, autopay setups, transaction status checks , and account listings. To ensure smooth service for everyone, NPCI has directed banks and payment apps to closely monitor and limit high-frequency API calls starting July 31. What Are the New Limits?
- Balance Checks: Users can now make up to 50 balance inquiries per app daily. If you use multiple UPI apps (like PhonePe and Paytm), you get 50 checks on each.
- Transaction Status Checks: Apps must wait 90 seconds after a transaction before allowing status checks, capped at three attempts within two hours.
- Autopay Mandates: Processing of autopay mandates (for subscriptions or SIPs) will be restricted to non-peak hours only, with a maximum of one initial attempt plus three retries.
- Account Listing: Users can request to see all accounts linked to their number only 25 times per app per day, and repeated requests need explicit user permission.
Peak Hour Restrictions and User Impact
The busiest UPI hours - 10 AM to 1 PM and 5 PM to 9:30 PM - will see stricter limits. During these times, apps are encouraged to avoid frequent balance checks. Instead, banks will automatically send updated balances after each successful transaction. While this helps reduce system strain, users may not always see real-time balance updates on demand.
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Musharraf Hussain, COO of Ezeepay, notes that frequent checkers, such as traders, might find this change inconvenient, but it’s necessary to keep the UPI system stable and accessible to all.
Ensuring Compliance and Security
Banks and payment service providers (PSPs) must adhere to these rules or face penalties, including possible restrictions on adding new users. They are required to confirm by August 31 that API requests are well-managed, especially those triggered automatically by their systems.
Additionally, acquiring banks must conduct annual security audits by CERT-In approved auditors, with the first audit deadline also set for August 31.
What This Means for You
- You’ll need to moderate how often you check your balance or transaction status across UPI apps.
- Autopay setups remain easy, but payments will be processed mostly during quieter times to ease network load.
- Despite these limits, NPCI assures users will continue to get accurate balance updates and transaction info.
NPCI’s new API usage rules aim to make UPI smoother and more reliable as transaction volumes grow. By setting smart limits on how often certain requests can be made, especially during peak times, UPI services should become faster and less prone to outages - benefiting millions of users across India. If you’re a frequent UPI user, it’s a good time to adjust your usage habits before these changes take effect later this year.
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