BHIM app introduces biometric authentication for small UPI payments

The BHIM App has rolled out a biometric authentication feature that enables users to approve small-value UPI transactions using fingerprint or facial recognition, in a move aimed at enhancing convenience and security.

Launched by NPCI BHIM Services Limited, a wholly owned arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the update allows payments of up to Rs 5,000 without the need to enter a UPI PIN.

The feature is expected to streamline everyday transactions, particularly for users who frequently make low-value payments. By removing the need to input a PIN each time, it also aims to reduce failed transactions caused by incorrect or forgotten credentials.

Users can apply biometric authentication across a range of common activities, including peer-to-peer transfers, scanning merchant QR codes and making online purchases.

Commenting on the development, Lalitha Nataraj, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NPCI BHIM Services Limited, said the update is designed to make digital payments simpler while maintaining robust safeguards.

She noted that biometric verification links transactions directly to the individual user, helping to enhance both ease of use and security.

The system is designed so that biometric data, such as fingerprints or facial recognition details, remains stored securely on the user’s device rather than being shared externally. This reduces risks associated with PIN misuse or unauthorised access.

For higher-value transactions above Rs 5,000, users will still be required to enter their UPI PIN, ensuring an additional layer of protection.

The feature is currently available on both Android and iOS devices that support biometric authentication, and is expected to benefit millions of users by making routine digital payments faster and more seamless.

With IANS inputs