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What is Unified Payments Interface (UPI)? Explained

Introduction:

The digital payment landscape in India has undergone a sea change over the past few years, with the advent of new payment systems like Unified Payments Interface (UPI). UPI is a real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) that enables inter-bank transactions via a single mobile application. In this article, we’ll discuss what UPI is, how it works, its benefits, and FAQs about UPI.

What is Unified Payments Interface (UPI)?

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a payment system that enables instant fund transfer between two bank accounts through a mobile application. UPI enables a user to create a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) that can be used to initiate a transaction. UPI is a real-time payment system, which means that the transaction is processed instantly and the amount is credited or debited from the account in real-time.

How does UPI work?

UPI works on the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) platform, which is a 24×7 real-time payment system. To use UPI, a user needs to download a UPI-enabled mobile application from the app store and create a VPA. The VPA is a unique identifier that is linked to the user’s bank account. Once the VPA is created, the user can initiate a transaction by entering the recipient’s VPA, amount, and remarks. The transaction is authenticated by the user’s MPIN (Mobile Personal Identification Number) and is processed in real-time.

Benefits of using UPI:

  1. Instant fund transfer: UPI enables instant fund transfer between two bank accounts, which means that the transaction is processed in real-time.
  2. Easy to use: UPI is easy to use and requires no technical expertise. Users can initiate transactions by entering the recipient’s VPA, amount, and remarks.
  3. Secure: UPI transactions are secure as they are authenticated by the user’s MPIN, which is known only to the user.
  4. No need to share bank details: With UPI, there is no need to share bank details like account number and IFSC code. Users can initiate transactions using the recipient’s VPA.
  5. Multiple bank account management: UPI enables users to link multiple bank accounts to a single mobile application and initiate transactions using any of the linked accounts.

FAQs about UPI:

Q. Is UPI available 24×7?

A. Yes, UPI is available 24×7, which means that users can initiate transactions anytime, anywhere.

Q. Is UPI secure?

A. Yes, UPI transactions are secure as they are authenticated by the user’s MPIN, which is known only to the user.

Q. Is there any limit on the amount that can be transferred using UPI?

A. Yes, there is a limit on the amount that can be transferred using UPI. The limit varies from bank to bank and can be checked on the bank’s website.

Q. Can UPI be used for international transactions?

A. No, UPI can only be used for domestic transactions within India.

Q. Is there any transaction fee for using UPI?

A. No, there is no transaction fee for using UPI.

Conclusion:

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a revolutionary payment system that has made fund transfer easier, faster, and more secure. With UPI, users can initiate transactions using a unique Virtual Payment Address (VPA) and authenticate the transaction using their MPIN. UPI is available 24×7 and is free to use.