The ‘UPI One World’ wallet expansion is a game-changer. Foreign delegates pick up authorized prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) at NPCI’s pavilion in Bharat Mandapam Hall 14 or the airport. The Transcorp CheckUPI app makes activation effortless: register with personal info, passport, visa, selfie, and PIN for an instant UPI ID.

Top up using global cards, cap at ₹25,000 per load and twice monthly (₹50,000 total). Scan and pay for person-to-merchant transactions in real-time across India. Say goodbye to currency exchange queues and hello to secure, cashless convenience.

Refunds for unused funds follow RBI forex guidelines, back to your card. As Sohini Rayola, NPCI’s Growth Executive Director, emphasized, UPI stands as the planet’s premier real-time payments network.

Beyond the summit, this pilot signals UPI’s borderless future, inviting global tourists to experience India’s digital prowess while boosting local commerce and reducing cash dependency.

**What’s special about the new feature**

Most UPI IDs are directly linked to mobile numbers, which exposes users to the risk of cybercriminals accessing their personal information. Creating a customized UPI ID will hide the user’s mobile number and make transactions more secure. This step will increase people’s trust in digital payments.

**How to create a new UPI ID on Paytm**

* Paytm has given users an easy option to create a custom UPI ID.
* To do this, open the Paytm app and go to the profile section and select UPI & Payment settings.
* There, you will find a list of all linked accounts and IDs.
* Now click on Create a new UPI ID.
* After this, set a new ID of your choice by combining letters and numbers.
* You can also create a backup UPI ID so that there is no payment failure.

**Custom UPI will also benefit on GPay**

Google Pay has also released a similar feature. That is, users will be able to use their own UPI ID instead of a mobile number. This update will strengthen privacy and provide an easier and more secure transaction experience.

**This UPI rule also changed**

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has also made changes to the UPI rules. Under this, the P2P Collect Request system has been shut down from October 1, 2025. This directly means that no user will be able to send or receive Collect Requests on UPI. Now only direct transfers will be possible. In fact, the Collect Request feature was being misused by fraudsters. Many times users mistakenly or by deception approve collect requests, due to which money was deducted from their accounts.

One of the key changes limits the frequency of balance checks to 50 times per day. Additionally, the number of times users can view linked bank accounts within a single app will be capped at 25 times per day. The status of payments can only be checked a maximum of 3 times a day, with a minimum 90-second interval between each check. AutoPay transactions will be scheduled within specific time slots. Furthermore, there will be a limit on the number of chargebacks allowed within a given period. These new rules seek to streamline the UPI process and address reported issues of transaction delays and service disruptions.

Why did NPCI take this decision?

NPCI has implemented this step to prevent rising cyber fraud and technical issues. When a mobile number remains inactive for a long time, telecom companies can reassign it to another person. If this number was previously linked to a bank account and the new user misuses it, the risk of fraud increases.

Additionally, technical issues in banks and the UPI system could lead to incorrect transactions or payment failures. NPCI’s goal is to make UPI more secure and ensure users face no inconvenience.

Why is a mobile number necessary for UPI payments?

Your registered mobile number serves as an identity for UPI payments. When you send money to someone, the bank sends an OTP to your registered mobile number to ensure that the transaction is authorized and the money goes to the right person.

If your number remains inactive for a long time and is reassigned to someone else, it can lead to incorrect transactions or fund misdirection. This could result in your money being transferred to someone else’s account.

What should you do now?

If the mobile number linked to your bank account has been inactive for a long time or hasn’t been recharged, you should check it immediately. Contact your telecom provider, such as Jio, Airtel, Vi, or BSNL, to confirm whether the number is still registered in your name.

If your number has become inactive, you should either reactivate it or update your bank account with a new mobile number. This will help you avoid any issues with UPI transactions in the future.

NPCI’s New Guidelines

NPCI has instructed banks and UPI apps to update records of inactive mobile numbers every week. This means that from April 1, 2024, banks will remove all numbers that have not been in use for a long time.

If you want your UPI payments to continue without any interruptions, update your bank and mobile number details as soon as possible.

Fresh Challenge To Google Pay, PhonePe, And Paytm

This move aims to streamline digital payments by eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps, positioning WhatsApp as a comprehensive utility platform. The new feature put WhatsApp in direct competition with platforms like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. 

According to leaks, the bill payment feature has been spotted in WhatsApp’s Android Beta version 2.25.3.15. The feature is still in the testing phase. However, a timeline for its rollout remains unclear.

According to media reports, the upcoming feature will allow users to pay a variety of bills, including electricity, water, mobile recharges, rent, and more—offering significant convenience for those who regularly manage household expenses through multiple platforms.

WhatsApp UPI-Based Payment System

This functionality is expected to integrate with WhatsApp’s existing UPI-based payment system, WhatsApp Pay. Currently, WhatsApp Pay enables users to send money to contacts and make payments to businesses via UPI. Notably, the platform launched its UPI payment service in India in 2020, initially available to a limited number of users due to regulatory constraints.  

Market Share Of Google Pay, PhonePe

In a major development, WhatsApp Pay recently received approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to extend UPI services to all users in India. Earlier, the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) service was limited to 100 million users, but this cap has now been removed. As of November 2024, PhonePe held 47.8% of the market share, while Google Pay had 37%. Other competitors include Paytm, Navi, Cred, and Amazon Pay.