Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Growth in Recurring Payments

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is gaining popularity, particularly for merchant payments. A significant trend is the rise in recurring payments through UPI Autopay, which have more than doubled over the past year.

Key Statistics and Growth

• According to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), recurring payment mandates, traditionally managed via netbanking or debit cards, are now widely processed through UPI.
• For the top 10 banks in November 2025, around 926 million transactions were processed via UPI Autopay, compared to 530.5 million in November 2024.
• State Bank of India processed 290 million recurring payments in November 2025.
• Airtel Payments Bank processed 89.7 million transactions, up from 25.6 million a year ago.

Enhancements and Features

• NPCI has launched a portal, upihelp.npci.org.in, featuring a chatbot for customers to track repayment history and manage mandates.
• The limit for recurring payments was enhanced in December to allow up to ₹1 lakh via UPI Autopay without second-factor authentication, though limited to mutual fund payments, credit card bills, and insurance premiums.

Overall Impact and Trends

• UPI processes 20 billion transactions per month, surpassing other payment methods, highlighting its widespread adoption as the preferred payment mode in India.